Car Rental France

Speed limits in France

•        Motorways: 130 kph (80 mph)
•        Dual Carriageways: 110 kph (70 mph)
•        Main Roads (non-residential): 80 kph (50 mph)
•        Main Roads (residential): 50 kph (30mph)

Main Roads in France

•        Autoroute Du Nord (A1) connects Lille and Paris, providing a direct route south to Charles de Gaulle Airport. One of Europe’s busiest autoroutes. The Autoroute Du Nord (A1) covers three French regions in over 209 kilometers . Following the entire road south will take you through the Nord-Pas de Calais, Picardy, and Île-de-France regions.
•        Autoroute du Soleil (A6/A7) passes through five French regions, leading you to the country’s popular south coast. Covering a total of 748 kilometers, the A6 starts in Paris at the Paris-Orly Airport and joins the A7 in Lyon, before continuing south to Marseilles.
• L’Aquitaine Autoroute (A10) is the country’s longest motorway. Linking Paris with the southwest of France, the route covers 548 kilometers and begins just over eight miles west of Paris-Orly Airport. The road ends in Bordeaux, a UNESCO-listed city on the banks of the Garonne River.

Road Types In France

•        Autoroutes (A) – France’s network of autoroutes, or motorways, are similar to US freeways. You join and leave the autoroutes via ramps, and central reservations separate traffic traveling in opposite directions. Autoroutes have two, three, or four lanes of traffic with an emergency lane. The major difference in France is that over 75% of the autoroute network are toll roads.
•        Routes Nationales (N) – Connecting France’s regions and cities, Routes Nationales are the country’s equivalent of interstate highways. Large, fast, and busy, these are toll-free routes that existed before the introduction of tolled autoroutes.
•        Départementales (D) – Similar to county highways, départementales link small towns and villages via smaller, quieter roads. There are two types of départementales - yellow and white. Yellow départementales are larger, direct routes with higher speed limits. White départementales tend to be quiet, winding roads with plenty of scenery.

Toll Roads In France

Toll roads make up 76% of France’s autoroutes (freeways). Toll booths will be clearly sign-posted with the word ‘peage’ and the distance to the next booth. At automated booths, you can pay by credit or debit card. There’s also the option to pay in Euros at manned toll booths, though these are increasingly rare.

Costs vary depending on the autoroute you’re on. Prices can vary between €10-€50 at each toll. To calculate the cost of your journey before you leave, look at the Association of French Motorway Companies (ASFA) website.

Electric Vehicles in France

There are currently over 82,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points across France. A number of these are free to use, though you may have to sign up for a few different schemes, such as Freshmile in Bordeaux.

The best cities for electric car rental in France are Paris and Marseille, with a wide range of EVs for rentand good access to charging stations.

Lidl supermarkets across the country also offer free electricity, with no memberships required.

Driving Basics

•        Driving takes place on the right side of the road.
•        Drivers will have to give priority to vehicles on the right, unless otherwise marked by a road sign.
•        Roundabouts travel anti-clockwise, and drivers must give priority to vehicles already on the roundabout.
•        Children under the age of 10 are prohibited from sitting in the front passenger seat.
• You may be fined €135 and risk losing your license if you are caught using your mobile phone while driving. Only hands-free systems connected to your vehicle are allowed.

Paris

Whether you’re driving through Paris on the way to Disneyland or stopping in to see the iconic Eiffel Tower, car rental in France is made easy with Hertz’s 27 pick-up locations.

Take a road trip around the city’s famous monuments – the Arc de Triomphe, the Sacré Coeur and the Pantheon before immersing yourself in café culture. Stop by the Louvre for world famous art – and don’t miss the Wall of Love in Montmartre for a very different kind of art installation.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is the place to learn about France’s wine industry. Viticulture is big business in the city, with vineyards covering the lush green hillsides overlooking the Garonne River.

It’s also the place to go for stunning Neoclassical and modern architecture. The world’s largest reflecting pool may not sound appealing, but the Miroir d’Eau at the Place de la Bourse is Bordeaux’s most photographed spot. Snap a picture of the turrets of the Grosse Cloche de Bordeaux for fairytale imagery, and don’t miss the 3,000 trees in Parc Bordelaise.

Marseille

Rent a car from any of Marseille’s four Hertz pick-up points to explore this sprawling metropolis. Known as France’s second city, Marseille has spent the last decade evolving from a gritty urban port to a vibrant spot full of Marseille is home to a fantastic array of museums and rich historical architecture.

Founded by the Greeks in 600BC, little remains from those early colonies, but the Jardin des Vestiges has preserved some pieces of the ancient port, towers, and walls built here thousands of years ago. Head to Le Vieux Port to watch fishermen land the daily catch and hop on a boat to see the stunning coastline of the Parc National des Calanques.

Lyon

Situated on the banks of the river Rhône, Lyon outshines Paris as a foodie destination. With more restaurants per square meter than any other city, Lyon’s streets are paved with hidden cafes, restaurants and eateries.

Between meals, rent a car to see the best that the city has to offer. The Basilica Notre Dame, Musée des Confluences, and the Lyon’s Renaissance districts are all easily reached from any one of Hertz’s six pick-up locations.

Nice

As the capital of France’s Riviera, Nice mixes historic fishing harbors and belle époque palaces with boutiques, late-night spots, and art galleries with an elegance you won’t find in most cities.

The pearl of the Côte d’Azur, Nice is a modestly sized city not to be missed. Arrived after a long road trip? Stretch your legs on the 4 km-long Promenade des Anglais to enjoy bracing sea air and a walk along France’s most famous promenade. And if you manage to see all of Nice in one weekend, St Tropez, the playground of the rich and famous, is just under a two hour’s drive away.

Toulouse

The red hues of La Ville Rose (The Pink City) have long charmed tourists visiting Toulouse. But this city offers more than gorgeous rooftops and photogenic architecture. As with most destinations in France, the cuisine is sublime, but Toulouse has regional delicacies you must try.

Pick up a jar of violet jelly for a floral twist on a PB&J or treat yourself to a tarte aux noix with your morning coffee. In central Toulouse, make sure you see the Basilique Saint-Sernin, Europe’s largest Romanesque church in Europe. Nearby, the Place du Capitole is the place to browse art and farmer’s market stalls.

See all car rental locations in France and set off on your European adventure.