Airport transfer alternatives, or One way car hire?

[just john]

We are served by three (even 4/5 airports), being in the middle of Bordeaux, La Rochelle, and Bergerac, with Angouleme coming on soon and even Limoge close enough at a push, and we keep a car at the local garage. However the problem has always been airport transfer to and from our place, taxi's are more expensive than renting a car for a day, and we can't impose on friends goodwill for a 3/4 hr trip too often. To rent and then drop the car off at say Angouleme instead of taking it back incurs a high charge equivalent to almost a weeks hire, and some companies won't do one way hire. We looked at using a train for transfer but timings are a joke, and we don't intend to leave the car at an airport since the gaps inbetween can be quite irregular. Has anyone out there got any clever moves or alternatives?

[8-|]you will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.

.

[Pierre ZFP]

A long shot but what about bus/coach?

I googled (using google maps) in the area you described and there seem to be a few coach companies around. At least it might get you close then a short taxi ride.  Maybe your local tourist office could help? or at the airports that you use?

[Cerise]

Pay the chap (or one of his workers) at local garage to drive your car out to meet you.

[Nearly Retired (I am now)]

Our house is on the border of 16 / 17 and we have the same type of problem. We've got an old reliable car sitting here in UK which we had planned to take to France, register it properly and leave it there just ready for our flying visits. 

When you take a careful look (only done AFTER we got the car!) the costs and hassles just don't seem worth it. Driving the whole way seems to be easier than juggling french cars and airports. The best I could think of was to ask a local, who has our house keys, to collect us and take us back to the airport. But I'm afraid to ask as it's a bit of an imposition - whatever the pay.

It's a great shame but to me there appears to be a distinct lack of entrepreneurship (to miss-spell ? and certainly mis-quote GW Bush) in La Belle France. Where are the people living close to airports offering to park your vehicle on their land? That's something most people aren't short of.

I've looked at some car hire firms and some shut on a Sunday. That's probably potentially the second busiest day apart from Saturdays when they might only be open half a day. I read somewhere, maybe here or on another forum, that someone couldn't get a car at Angloueme because the Ryanair flight arrived around 19.00/20.00 and it was too late for normal business hours. Amazing!.

It just wouldn't happen in Spain or US. Probably not even in Cuba.

After 3 years of second home ownership in France the gloss is beginning to wear off. Yes - houses can be beautiful and in lovely settings. They're relatively cheap too. The roads are empty, scenery gorgeous in places - there are so many lovely things about the place.

BUT so many things are a hassle - getting builders, needing a mortgage to pay for a taxi, hiring a car and more. 

[just john]

Thanks for your replies, We have an old car down here and it has been invaluable, it is just getting to the airport and back that remains a dilema, the return trip from most airports is about 4 hours and a half days pay is still more than a days car hire, we have tried it a couple times, where it cost us the equivalent of half a days pay and it was still much of favour because of the inconvenience for the guy involved, also once with friends who combined it with a shopping trip, but while we felt they saw the fun once, we thought it would be more of an imposition next time. The only buses I have seen locally were school buses, I googled autobus entre Bordeaux et Montmoreau and nothing came up!.

As ErnieY said about Stansted (to paraphrase):-
in my diesel car I can drive to UK, bumble around for 10 days and drive home on little more than 3 tankfuls of juice which is going to cost me around £150, a ferry crossing for under £50 so job done for £200, and of course, the advantages of having ones own car to transport all those goodies back home.
we are also well accustomed to doing marathon long distance drives Pee & Petrol only,
but not so good if only one of you is travelling; so buying a bit more than time and convenience.

Being stranded at an Airport (and I have been plenty of times, worst experience was with Flybe) is a fate much worse than driving all the way on your own, and the taxi fare usually exceeds any savings.
So I continue to look for the third way!!

[8-|] Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

[just john]

How close are you Nearly retired, Montignac le coq is quite close to the border , perhaps we could play taxi for each other!!

[just john]

www.bordeaux-tourisme.com
Hello,
We thank you for your message.
There are no buses to get there from Bordeaux unfortunately as Montmoreau is
in a different region of France.
However, you can take a train. Timetable is available at :
www.sncf.com
Sincerely,
Bordeaux Tourist Office

Hi Pierre
Further to your suggestion of contacting the tourisme office, I attach their reply above!,
having checked SNCF again, it is basically about an hour to wait between services, and alternates between one and two hours for the journey depending on whether it is the straight through train.
Cost including the bus from airport, train and taxi from station about the same as half day pay or hire car without surcharge for drop off, bit less than a taxi though;
it maybe worth trying as an alternative but though these changes make the taxi journey seem attractive even with the mortgage, it makes flying As ErnieY said,
 much less attractive! unless someone has the third way! . . .

[8-|] the world is full of trickery, but let this not blind you to what virtue there is;