Renting electric car to explore Normandy

A Peugeot 208 electric will have limited range at high speeds; you will definitely need to charge between CDG and Normandy. The infrastructure is relatively decent by now, but it is piecemeal: many competing networks, occasional requirement for subscriptions (no direct payment options), some areas are well-covered and others are not.
It is fine if you live here and have time to figure it out, but it seems like a hassle as a tourist.

Check rentals on AutoEurope.com. Highly recommended on this site by numerous travelers. I just picked a few random days in June and Hertz offered 5 vehicles only one of which was electric.

My feeling it could be more hassle than a gas car

99.9999% likely to be true

but I may be wrong.

Probably not.

best price-wise offerings are for electric

Supply/demand economics tells you it is because they are not popular among tourists because of range issues and the recharging challenges.

I had a hybrid last May for the Black Forest area, Alsace region up to Belgium and over to Luxembourg. It was fine. There were a lot of really rural areas I travelled through that made me glad I didn’t have a strictly electric vehicle. Only one of our lodgings had a charging station.

I agree with the statement that an EV would be a hassle for a tourist.

I’ve used an electric vehicle in Normandy and it is doable as long as you have access to charge every night. On the other hand the vehicle you chose is really inadequate for getting from CDG to Bayeux. Personal favorite that has range and could make Normandy from CDG with one stop is the new VW electric van. It’s a retro of the old VW van. Comfortable and easy to drive.

Thanks, everyone. In the end, I decided to rent a gas car - VOLKSWAGEN T CROSS AUTO or similar for two weeks and drive from Paris and return in Nice. They quoted me $642 with taxes and fees from Europcar. It should be sufficient for 2 people and only carry-ons. It may be more expensive than electric or doing everything by train/bus, but in my opinion much less hassle. And I love driving in new locations!

Eugene, when you arrive at the car rental kiosk it's worth asking if a hybrid or diesel is available at the quoted rate. You'll save quite a bit on fuel costs.