Has anyone rented a car in Paris to drive to Amsterdam ?

Definitely take the train.

What would you like to explore? Have you all been to Amsterdam before?

If you wanted to stop in Bruges or Ghent for 2 nights they are easy to get to on the train. Also train from Paris to Amsterdam is extremely easy. If you wanted to go someplace like say, the area where the Battle of the Bulge too place or other WWI or WWII sites a car might be useful.

Have you looked at what a drop off fee might be for renting in one country and dropping in another?

You will pay $$$$ to rent a car in one country and return in another country.

A train is almost always easier and cheaper. Plus it saves time - it takes tons of time to rent and return a car.

If you book VERY EARLY, you can almost get 1st class for the same price as 2nd class.

the answer in Europe is almost always, take the train. otherwise the Man in Seat 61 weeps.

Train, train, train! In our experience, the one-way drop off charges aren't so horrible - couple hundred max, but driving, adding up the insurance, gas, tolls, and aggravation, is a total pain.

Has anyone done it? Sure.

Is that a smart way for you to go? Well, only you can decide what's best for you, but for most people in most situations, I'd say taking the train makes way more sense. As pointed out above, you could stop along the way if you wanted (and with 5 days, I sure would...a day or two in Amsterdam is enough for me these days, and other cities within easy train distance would be a very nice change from the mass tourism that Amsterdam now draws). With 5 days, I'd look at Bruges, Brussels, Ghent, Delft and more.

I did it during the last century. We didn't rent; we lived in the Paris burbs, owned a tiny, little car, and I took my mother-in-law to the Van Gogh museum. It was long and slow. Never again. With high-speed trains, I wouldn't even consider driving.

With the ease & comfort of trains, I would never rent a car.

I drove a car in Paris and Amsterdam once; and never, ever will again. Paris traffic was bad, but Amsterdam was horrific. There are pedestrians, bikes, trolleys and autos that will come at you from all directions at once. Follow the advice of others and take the train.

If you come up with a plan as to where you want to go, then yeah a car could come in handy, doing the usual stops (Brussels, Ghent, Bruges, Antwerp), then no probably not worth it.

Someone mentioned "Battle of the Bulge" sights, I could add Ypres/Flanders and WW1 sights, or even beer sights near there and elsewhere in Belgium, those would need a car.

However, it is not "all or nothing", you could train to someplace, pick up a car for a day or two or more, hit some areas, and drop off at the same place or within country to save cost, then train to Amsterdam.

Train...done it, the only way to go...

I think it depends on what you want to explore during those 5 days. Are you looking to meander through the French countryside for 5 days, before ending up in Amsterdam to fly home? Or are you looking to drive straight from Paris to Amsterdam? If the latter, I would just take the train.

If you want to meander, you could avoid high one ways fees by returning the car elsewhere in France (maybe Lille?), then taking the train.

Trains, right. But be aware that there will probably be at least one connection and you have to shop to find the fastest journey at a price you like. Both can vary.