Jump to content
Complete France Forum

Hire cars... UK to France and back or a better way...?


Catalpa

Recommended Posts

A London-based friend is shortly to travel to Brittany via Portsmouth / Caen-Ouistreham. They don't own a car so will be hiring one. Initial investigation has raised the reluctance of UK car hire companies to hire on the basis of the car crossing to and being driven in France.

Does anyone know of a (reputable!) car hire company that doesn't twitch nervously at the suggestion their car is going out of the country? Or alternatively, is hiring a French car at Ouistreham a better bet?

Anyone done either? Does anyone have any advice?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I did research this sort of thing, but it was about 5 years ago now, so out of date.  I did find hire companies happy to hire to travel to France, but they did increase the insurance premium (but not excessively from memory).  I tried most of the usual ones, but the one I found reasonably accommodating (until they moved offices and they then when phat!), was Thrifty.   Can only suggest that you ring around a few local companies (including the nationals - who knows you may get a goodie) and see what they say.  They are ususally franchises so you may find one.

We did once use the Hertz service where you drove in a UK hire car to Calais, changed over to a French car and reversed on the way  back.  [Sorry, forgotten it's name]  Only problem we had was they gave us an automatic on the return, and we did not know how to drive one of those.  Not sure that Hertz do it anymore. ...other problems was having to transfer all the booty to another car ..... 

Other than that, depending on where you are, hire to the port, go across as foot passengers, and hire at other end, but that does limit the baggage you can take .....and I don't know what car hire is like at Ouistreham.  Train London to Portsmouth is ok, done that to meet family at Portsmouth and cross with them ....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your friend could find this company of interest. We have used it several times, and there is no problem with vehicles (cars or trucks) being taken to France as long as you inform them and pay a small amount extra. It would be pretty much on the way to Portsmouth - the base is about an hour north of the ferry port, and right beside a main railway station.

(Post edited - I missed the fact that the friend was in the London area when my original reply was posted in haste)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...