We will have a rental car in Bayeux and will be traveling on from Bayeux to Paris. Would it be better to return the rental car in Bayeux or a nearby town (if this is even possible) and travel to Paris via train or return the car back to the airport (CDG) and then take a taxi to our hotel?
Thank you for any advice you can provide! If you have any other tips regarding rental cars, we would appreciate them as well.
IMO, your best bet is to return the car in Rouen, then train from there into Paris. There are rental company offices right next to the train station (I'm renting from Hertz there but there are others too).
Make sure you pick up an International Driver's Permit at your nearest AAA club before your trip. They cost $20 (plus $12 passport photos if you don't have an extra). Each driver is required to carry their driver's license from home and an IDP (often mistakenly called an international driver's license - there's no such thing as the license).
Cars on the right have right of way. If you're on a main road and a car, or bike, approaches from a small road on the right, they have right of way. This isn't true in a round about, the car in the round about has right of way.
Returning a car in Rouen is going to be an adventure. I did this last fall. There are 2 entrances to the underground train station parking lot, only one leads to the rental return location. It is not marked with an sign saying rental cars; you only see that once you turn down the driveway. To make it more fun the whole area is one-way streets so each loop around the train station takes over a mile and 10+ minutes.
Personally I'd return the car in a town like Caen or back at CDG. If you choose Rouen then give yourself a nice window between your planned return time and the train.
Why don't you return the car in Paris? Perhaps, there is a location near your hotel or if you are concerned about driving in Paris, return it at La Defense. Why drive all the way to CDG just to return a car? It's a waste of time and money. I would not return a car in Rouen -- my experience there is the same as the previous poster. If you have to return it in Normandy, try returning in Caen. I found that to be quite easy.
Many car rentals returns are difficult to find if they are in train station garages. You do indeed have to check for them on google street view before getting there. On the other hand, it doesn't make sense to drive part of the way and take the train part of the way. If it's easier to return in Caen, then just take the train from there. CDG is overkill because not only would you be driving all the way to the airport and paying the tolls, but you'll also pay 50-55 euros plus tip for a taxi from the airport.
We visited Normandy from Paris a couple of years ago - took a train from Paris (Gare St Lazaire?) to Caen, then picked up an AVIS rental car in Caen (right across the 'street' from the train station) and returned it in Caen a few days later. It was much easier turning in the car at the Caen train station than at any airport rental facility I have ever used. Also there was a pleasant café to sit at and enjoy a little wine after turning in the car, but before we needed to cross the bus lanes and catch the train. I'm not sure which rental car companies have offices near the AVIS office, but there were others along the row.
The train ride to Paris was quick (2 hours or so?) and very comfortable - PLUS it was relaxing - there are few things more relaxing than reading a book while the miles fly by instead of trying to figure out driving in an new environment :-). You could bring a snack and enjoy a 120 MPH picnic. We were in First Class and it was roughly 140 Euros round-trip from Paris to Caen for the two of us.
Rental car advice - 1) Make sure you can drive a standard shift - fuel is expensive over there and standards get better mileage :-), 2) Check with your credit card company to confirm that you can decline the 'added' insurance you will be asked about - most VISA cards cover the deductible so you can decline it.
Have fun!
We are driving back from Normandy in October. Had same question. Found a Hertz office pretty near our hotel and set up return there. Inside the ring road, but pretty easy. A left, a right and a left. Seems easier than going all the way out to the airport and spending a lot of money getting into town.
I have somewhat the same question. We will train to Bayeux, do a tour and a day in town. Pick up a car and then drive to MSM and points west for a couple days. Plan to return car to Bayeux and catch train back to Paris on a Thursday night ( thinking versaillle on Friday, but that's another thread on this forum). Why would we have the confusion of and extra cost of delivering a rental to a different place, ie: Paris, Caen, Rouen when the train can deliver us right into the city? I'm just wondering what would be the advantage either way. Not all of us are feeling confident with driving (health) but a more relaxed pace would help. Also, if we are in Bayeux for 3 nights, what's the pint of a rental sitting there in a car park, while we do tours etc. . Just some help planning would be great, so many questions/answers/confusion.
Ps - I have not booked a rental car yet, will be in Bayeux October 15, should a book NOW?
This, from Bruce:
The train ride to Paris was quick (2 hours or so?) and very comfortable - PLUS it was relaxing - there are few things more relaxing than reading a book while the miles fly by instead of trying to figure out driving in an new environment :-). You could bring a snack and enjoy a 120 MPH picnic.
I wish I had listened to my instinct a couple of weeks ago and returned our car in Aberdeen and taken the train down to Edinburgh rather than driving down to Edinburgh. The drive down was easy, but what a mess trying to find our way once we arrived in town with the narrow streets, the different levels, and the HORDES of people wandering in the streets because of the festival.
It would have been more expensive to buy additional train tickets once the car was already paid for, but worth it for the diminished pressure on my nerves from having to drive in that situation!!!!
Judy,
My experience has been that seeing the sites that I wanted to see in Normandy was only really possible with a car, however if you are booking tours that will do the driving for you, you are correct, you don't really need to rent your own vehicle.
As to Bayeux or Caen. I think it is actually the same train, it just stops in Caen on the way to Bayeux. I'm not familiar with Bayeux's rental car situation, but if it is as convenient as Caen's there is no reason not to just rent & turn-in the car in Bayeux. Depends on your trip plan I guess - One of the reasons we chose to turn the car in at Caen was because the sites we were going to be visiting on our last day in Normandy (after checking out of our hotel) were to the East of Caen (6th Airborne related D-Day sites) so Caen was convenient - late afternoon turn in of the car, then a pleasant train ride back to Paris in time for dinner.
Have fun!
AVIS and HERTZ are among the most reliable car rental services.
Better avoid SIXT if you can.
I was thinking Rouen because of how easy it is to train into Paris from there. There are also direct trains from Caen and Bayeux. I had looked at a train from Paris to Bayeux at one point and the connections were pretty miserable, must have been the time I was looking at?
Not every car company let's you return a car in every town. You will have to shop for a company that gives you the most convenient options.
Cities aren't fun to drive in. I'll do it, but I always look for alternatives first.
We drove around France for three weeks then stayed in Bayeux before heading to Paris. We found the closest train station to where we were staying in Paris, and chose where to drop off our rental based on a nonstop ride into Paris. So, we ended up driving to Le Mans so that we had a straight shot to Paris and we ended up right in the neighborhood where we had rented an apartment. We were very happy with our decision, even if it meant a longer day that day. It was less just less stressful. Hope this is helpful! Also, we upgraded to first class, it was only 27 Euro for all three of us.
Others have reported that car pickup or return in Bayeux is not that easy, at least if you don't speak french. See https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/france/renting-a-car-in-bayeux-in-early-sept-2016
We will be renting a car for a week in Normandy and Loire Valley, picking up at Caen train station (to get an automatic which we can return to another site) and returning to CDG where we will stay the night before our morning flight home. Chose CDG return because of problems finding the return garage at Gare de l'Est on a prior rental -- airports seem to have better signage -- and because we can walk to the airport hotel from the car return spot. But if we were returning to Paris, then the train would be a good option.
@Judy, yes, it's better to arrange car rental from home. If your other plans are fixed, no reason not to reserve now.
Well, I made the plunge and booked train from Paris to Caen, will pick up our car there and drive to Bayeux where we will have 3 nights there. After Bayeux....??? Open to suggestions on some manageable trips by car that will put us back in Caen 3 days later to return the car and catch train to Paris. Honfleur, MSM. St. Malo and Dinan being the obvious...any other ideas?
To Julie Weaver: Don't return the car to deGaulle if your hotel is in Paris. It's not worth the extra time and hassle.
I think you could drive to Paris, but if you don't want to, then take the train.
I don't know where this stuff about Rouen is coming from, but it would take you way out of your way. Rouen is an interesting place and makes a nice day trip from Paris.
Judy: I've rented twice before from Hertz in Bayeux with no problem at all, and am doing so again in second week October. I'm not fluent in French, but no issues.
julie,
In the same situation, I'd return the car in Caen. Be sure you have an I.D.P. for driving in France.
Julie,
If you're not actually going to BE near Caen after your Normandy trip I'd return the car closer to where you're going to be. France is not bad for renting a car in one place and returning it to another. I'd check into renting in Caen and returning it in Rennes (close to Dinan) and taking the train into Paris from there. Plan your route at ViaMichelin and determine where you'd like to go.
Mel, thanks, I'm seeing a few reports that Rennes would have been a better option for returning the car. Thanks, will check this out and call the car rental company.
Thank you to everyone who responded to this post. Your advice is appreciated!
