Driving Issues??

We used our City Bank visa card from Costco and it worked really well. We used it at the toll booths in France last spring. I would guess most visa cards would work equally well. Have a great time!

Sorry I sent before finishing. We also used a visa for some gas places but occasionally used cash. We used Apple maps on our phones and it worked. My husband used Google maps sometimes,but found Apple maps worked better for us. I think its because that's what we've used for so long.

You may have difficulty paying at the pump (or in some places even at the kiosk) for fuel IME. It's best to have an ATM card with you, as many places require a PIN (or did as of a year ago). It appears that using Google Wallet or Apple Pay in some cases provides a workaround.

We have had no problem with our Visa credit cards (We have 2 with no foreign transaction fee) either getting gas or paying tolls. We do have a pin (4 digit) for one of the credit cards, and have had it since we got the card many years ago. It was chosen by us, not bank-assigned, so we remember it easily. When called upon (not regarding the car, but in some stores) we just entered the pin when prompted. No need to use our debit card.
I worked in banks for 40 plus years, and don't understand the problems people seem to have in getting a 4 digit pin for a credit card. Maybe I am behind the times.

Regarding WAZE, I am somewhat prejudiced against it because in parts of LA county, where I reside, WAZE has been known to direct traffic through many small residential streets that are narrow and very badly impacted by the traffic they were not meant to carry. This isn't a NIMBY situation, but a traffic/engineering one. Just sayin'. In France we have been happy with Google maps from our phone hooked up to the rental car's navigation system, or with the system installed in the car.
Also, you will be unlikely to find any toll booths on the D roads. A roads/autoroutes, yes. I hope you get to travel on the smaller roads. Check out viamichelin.com to plot out your route from one place to the next. Often a scenic option will be listed, as well as the fastest route. We have found it very worthwhile when planning our trips.
Have a fun time and enjoy the ride!

I find that Waze works really really well for me in France. I was using it there just last week.

If you forget what the National Speed limits are (50, 80, 110, 130) it reminds you when it turns the speedometer red and shows the speed limit in kph, and although it is illegal to notify you of speed radar locations it is very good at indicating "average speed check area" and "hidden police" which do you well.

If you switch on the full commentary it will tell you exactly which lane and turn to take.

Be sure you understand the basic traffic signs, especially the yellow diamond. Also understand that the 50 (or sometimes 30) kph speed limit starts at the locality name sign and continues all the way until the same sign with a red diagonal line across it. That's often where the speed camera columns are.

In the last couple of years most places taking credit/debit cards in France and much of the rest of Europe have added tap facility to their credit card readers, meaning that for many or most transactions a simple tap is all that is needed, rather than putting the card into the reader and typing in a PIN. That will sometimes be needed, but rarely. If you use Apple Pay or Google Pay on your smartphone it has much higher limits (or sometimes no limits) when you tap it and you immediately have a record in the phone Wallet.

You can tell if the card has tap if it has the 3 concentric arcs or waves logo.

While there is some good scenery between Caen and Le Mans (you can go via Falaise, Putanges, Carrouges, St Céneri, also St Léonard des Bois if there is still time), Le Mans to Amboise is quite boring and you might as well take the highway.

I could never get my cards to work at the pump, but they worked perfectly well when I went inside. If you get gas at an Intermarché store, be aware that some are cash only, so check before you begin pumping.

I’ve had no trouble using Google maps for navigation, but it helps if you have an idea of where you’re going because it sometimes try’s to take a route that isn’t the quickest, most scenic, or the way you want to go.

Your card should work fine if Tap to Pay is available, or if the toll booth or pump has a person to run the transaction. You might have a problem if the pump or toll pay point is unmanned and no "Tap".

I worked in banks for 40 plus years, and don't understand the problems people seem to have in getting a 4 digit pin for a credit card.

The vast majority of US based credit cards do not have a PIN option for purchases. Nearly all do allow a PIN for use at an ATM for cash advances. Sometimes, when prompted for a PIN and a low Dollar transaction, punching in your cash advance PIN, or any 4 numbers will allow the transaction to progress.

You can search for your credit card here to see if it allows a PIN for transactions: https://www.spotterswiki.com/emv/cardsearch.php

As noted, Waze is very useful; much more so than Google. ALWAYS carry cash, and especially 10-20 euro in coins, it can make life much simpler. Credit cards are rarely an issue on the major routes, but in smaller towns they may not work. Part of this is due to poor internet/wireless, which is not as reliably universal as most Americans expect.