EDIT: Thanks for all the advice. I will unfortunately be looking for a larger car and just absorb the expense.
I'll be traveling with several friends in 2 cars in April. We are staying inside Mont St Michel, and will leave most of our luggage in the car. Is it ok to leave luggage exposed in the back seat? I'll be helping to transport luggage for the other car, and I'd like to reserve a smaller car, with a smaller trunk/boot, if possible.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/sightseeing-in-france-with-luggage-in-car
Above Search from a previous discussion. Good luck!
Yes. Unless it isn’t. Nobody can guarantee anything.
It is never 'safe' to leave luggage in a car and since rental cars are mostly hatchbacks, you can't really hide your stuff since the pulled hatch cover signals 'hey stuff under here.' I would travel with less luggage and plan to take it with you.
If you will leave it in the car then follow the usual rules: Do not open the trunk once you get to the parking lot. Have the things you will carry to the Mont in the cab of the car so that when you exit you take things with you without opening the trunk. Leave nothing in the car visible -- a sweater might be hiding something, so a thief might break a window to find out. Never leave anything it would be a tragedy to lose: ID, money/cards, prescription meds, electronics. Suitcases and clothes can be replaced but those are things are a major pain if lost.
Probably nothing will happen here, but one of the downsides of parking in strange places is you don't know if there are local gangs of thieves that target the particular road or lot. I have had friends who lost everything including their passports when their car was stripped at beach. They hadn't wanted to risk carrying valuables to the beach and had them locked in the trunk. There is not going to be a security patrol making sure noone is stealing. 24/7.
You say that you are staying in an "on island" hotel. I have not done that, but it is likely that they will give you a key-code for a small parking area for hotel guests. That means closer to the island, but perhaps with less pedestrian traffic. But pedestrians are a plus from a security point of view. But honestly, there is little pedestrian traffic in the GIANT parking lot at MSM between 10PM and 5 AM. That leaves every car "exposed."
There is NO place where it is "safe" to leave visible objects in a car. You might be lucky, you might be unlucky.
Thoughts from our host here:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/theft-scams/theft-proofing-your-rental-car
Under no circumstances would I leave luggage exposed in a parked car - even for a couple of hours let alone over night. I know some parking areas are billed as 'secure parking' but I'd still not leave anything of importance exposed. Everything should be out of view in the trunk. And I agree with Janet about the hatchback covered storage area, if it's covered it's an enticement to see what's under there.
I'd never consider leaving exposed luggage in a car anywhere. But with that said, it's a massive huge parking lot surrounded by green pastures and sheep. And likely half the cars have luggage stored in them. But the sad reality is you just can never take that risk at home or on vacation. Imagine that feeling of "now what?" if it were to happen while traveling abroad.
Good advice so far. The one thing I would add i that if you have to move luggage around (some in the boot for overnight, some to be carried with you, etc.), do it well before you arrive in the area. Nothing advertises an easy car to steal from than standing in the parking lot moving lots of bags around, and leaving some behind. FWIW, I have stayed on the island proper with luggage locked in the car (concealed) and had no problems. But as others said, there are never guarantees—just prudent caution.
