Below is a list of all of the locations in France where I believe the renting of an automatic transmission car is possible. Please add to it if I've missed some. This is for future trip planning purposes. Thanks.
Paris - CDG
Paris - Orly
Paris (several other locations in town)
Tours (TGV)
Tours (in Town)
Geneva Airport, French Side
Lyon Airport
Bordeaux Airport
Toulouse Airport
Marseille Airport
Nice Airport
Thanks,
matt
I was checking with Autoeurope at Avignon TGV and was given the option for an automatic with Hertz and Europcar (Europcar is half the price of Hertz...this is for this coming Oct). When we rented in Paris in 2012, we got an automatic at the Europcar location on ave Foch near the Arc de Triomphe.
I picked up an automatic at the Montpellier airport in 2005. A Mercedes A Class.
You have to make an extra effort to get an automatic transmission in France, an extra call is necessary.
Another factor to consider is the price or it used to be. maybe it has changed. Renting an automatic in France did cost more than renting a stick. I'm not sure if that still applies.
Could you elaborate Kent? One can reserve an automatic online in the places listed without an additional phone call. Did you mean that you can get an automatic at other locations if you call?
When I was checking on Autoeurope, I did forget to check the automatic trans only on one search...and yeah, a stick was half the price of an automatic...but hubby hasn't driven a stick for 30+ years (and I never have) and he just is more comfy with an auto...price difference and size difference be damned!
The question that needs to be answered is how many automatic transmission cars are available at the places on the above list. We have more than once gone to pick up a rental car, having reserved ( we thought) an automatic only to find that only stick shifts were available that day. Once, in Rouen, we were told to wait an hour or so as they were expecting an Automatic Alfa Romeo back very soon.
We rented through Sixt and was offered an automatic when we picked up in Dijon Ville train station. When I booked online it didn't give me the option so I was prepared to drive a manual. However when offered I took it, given the fact that I haven't driven stick in 6 years and wanted to be a bit more confident navigating the French countryside!
