Renting a car in France

The cost of car hire varies widely, depending on who you're renting from. Rent from a supermarket and it could cost 5€ a day plus miles at 20¢ per km. A small car from a hire place could cost between 90€ and >200€ per day, kilometers included.

If you're not driving far then the supermarket works out a lot cheaper.

At the moment fuel (depending on what you're buying) is between 1€70 and 1€85 a litte

That is almost an impossible question. Rentals vary but similar to use in the range of $50/day. Second fuel is the big question -- it is priced by the liter so gas sells for about $2 a quart or approaching $8 a gallon. A liter is about a cup less than a quart -- 3.8 liters to the gallon. Many rentals will be diesel with a manual transmission. Automatics are more expense to rent. Don't confuse diesel and gas -- a very expensive mistake.

Check out autoeurope, https://www.autoeurope.com/results/ Also check out Sixt (which is included in autoeurope). I'm trying to rent a hybrid right now. We'll see if I'm successful.

As you are considering this, it would probably be useful for all of you to visit Gemüt.com (https://www.gemut.com/).

Reading the free download, What you should know about renting & driving a car in Europe, should help with most of the questions you might have about the process. Note that the year hasn't been updated on the page, but the actual brochure has been.

You all are likely to be a bit surprised about the differences between renting a car in Europe and the United States. It will be a bit of a learning curve for the driver(s) and for the navigator(s).

You can also find rental cost information at Gemüt.com and they are actually in Oregon, so you can call them. Their number is on the website.

My husband and I rented a car for about 3 weeks in 2012. Although he was the driver and I was the navigator, I got an IDP (International Driving Permit) from AAA in case something might happen to him and I'd need to drive.

You need to think about a few things:

1. Vehicle size since there are 3 people plus luggage to carry in the car,
2. Transmissions, automatic or manual. When we rent we definitely make sure it is automatic.
3. Insurance, probably best to be fully insured for any instance that could occur,
4. Make sure you are happy driving and parking in tight spaces and roundabouts.
5. Make sure that more than just one of you is on the vehicle contract to drive. My wife is always on the contract, but for the most part I drive and she navigates.
   
6. Make sure all drivers have an IDP, I never been asked to provide it, but it is there if requested.

Check to see what the extra-driver charge will be. It can be significant if you are not spouses.

A liter is a bit larger than a quart, but multiplying the price per liter by 4 will get you quite close to the price per gallon:

1 liter = 33.8 ounces (0.26 US gallons)
1 quart = 32 ounces (0.25 US gallons)

Lots of good advice here. I second the referral to Gemut.com They are thorough and have a 24/7 English help line. We just rented from them and will do so again next year.
Adding an additional driver is usually a bit pricey from my point of view but possibly worth it for you. We always get the International Driver's Permit (from AAA), although, like Ed and Lo we've never been asked to show it. I believe that happens if/when you get in an accident.
I don't think driving in France is difficult. It is true that clearances and parking spaces can be tight, but don't hurry yourself when you need to navigate a tight space. I've rarely seen displays of annoyance from other drivers (like you see in the U.S.) when I'm being extra cautious.
And by all means, read up on and understand how roundabouts work before you go. You'll see a lot of them and will likely get the hang of them quickly.
Petrol is expensive, but in my opinion, absolutely worth it for the joy of driving to small towns and villages. In addition, your rental car will probably get very good mileage. Be aware that filling your tank might be chancy on a Sunday in a small town, so make sure you fill up on Saturday.
I hope you have a wonderful time.

Who you rent from, where you rent from, size vehicle, and how far in advance you reserve will affect the cost. You can do a dummy booking on any rental company to get an idea what the cost would be. If you want to add a second driver, it’s usually an additional 10€ a day.

If you’re a Costco member check its prices. They can be less expensive and a 2nd driver is included.

Thank you for everyones input. I will try the links you sent me. It sounds like it will be pricey. How easy is it to get a car at a supermarket?

You can check the price of fuel in the area where you'll be driving using this French government website. Just zoom into the area where you're planning to go and you can see prices at individual fueling sites. It's not totally comprehensive, but most stations are there.

How easy is it to get a car at a supermarket?

The process is the same as with other rental companies.

On the other hand, the websites are only in French, car rental often involves the creation of a customer account (free), supermarkets are not located near airports or train stations, mileage is not unlimited, only some models are available depending on the supermarket location and it is not guaranteed that you will find someone who speaks English.

Here are 3 examples of supermarkets with stores throughout France where you can rent a car:

• Intermarché

https://location.intermarche.com/nos-vehicules/

• Super U

https://www.ulocation.com/accueil/1-vehicules/2-tourisme.html

• Leclerc

https://www.location.leclerc/vehicules/tourisme