Car Hire in France

You need to be over 21. However drivers in the 21 to 25 bracket will often be required to pay a young Drivers' surcharge fee. There is no upper age limit to hiring a car in France. Driver licenses must be full and unrestricted and been held for at least 12 months. Ensure that you have your Passport with you when collecting the vehicle as many French Car Rental suppliers require this in addition to your license to confirm identity and age.

You can hire a car in France using your own driving license as long as based on the Latin Alphabet (English, French, Italian, German etc). You may also be also be asked to present your passport. If you driving license is based on a non-Latin based character set you will need to obtain an International Driving Permit. Note that all designated drivers need to have their driving license details recorded when picking the vehicle up.

In France driving is on the right and all measurements are in metric (France being home of the metric system). Fuel is delivered in litres and petrol stations will accept all major credit cards. Many stations allow you to fill up when they are closed using automatic credit card systems. In the past there have been reports of overseas credit cards not being accepted by automated payment systems, whilst these are few and far between today good advice is to fill up during working hours when stations are open.

In France Highways and freeways are limited to 130kmh, rural expressways 110kmh and urban traffic to 50kmh. During rain speed limits are reduced on express and highways.

The hirer is liable for all speed and traffic infringements incurred during the hiring period. Rental companies will charge your credit card for any infringements received and may include an administration fee - this often occurs after the hiring period.

The majority of French Car Rental vehicles are manual transmission.

You will be required to pay for your vehicle on pick up using a credit card. Excess Insurance reduction and other options can also be purchased when picking up your vehicle.

All French rental cars come with full insurance cover, however in the event of an accident or damage to the vehicle the hirer is liable for an initial amount which can be several thousand euros. You can reduce your exposure to this liability through several methods.

• Take out excess insurance (Collision Damage Waiver) with the car rental company when you collect your vehicle. This is a daily fee payable to the rental company to eliminate or reduce the amount you are liable for.
• Many travel insurance and Credit card organisations provide car hire excess cover. Check the detail on this to ensure it includes and covers incidents such as single vehicle accidents, windscreen or wheel damage. Ensure you retain all paperwork and take photos if possible to support your claim. In the event of a damaged vehicle the rental company will still charge you the excess amount and then refund any funds that are not required to pay for repairs. You are then required to submit a claim to your insurance or credit card company. The claim process can mean you are out of pocket for a period of time.
• For those travelling with Australian driving licenses we offer pre-purchased rental vehicle insurance for France through our partner Hiccup Insurance who specialise in car rental insurance and whose rates are often cheaper than those offered by the rental companies. More information can be found on our rental insurance page.

Whichever option you choose, remember that in the event of an accident secure copies of all documentation, police reports and take photos.

Yes, in both front and rear seats. Driver is responsible for passengers under 13, over that age the passenger accepts responsibility for any fine.

Any child under the age of 10 are not allowed to travel in the front seat of a car. In the rear seats all children under 10 must be in a child seat (where child weighs 9-15kg) or booster seat for children over 15kg. Booster and child seats are available for hire from the rental company, please include in your initial car rental booking.

In 2012 the French Government introduced legislation making it compulsory for all vehicles to carry a breathalyser whilst travelling in France. A fine for non-compliance was due to be introduced in 2013 however this was postponed indefinitely by the French Government. It is still recommended to travel with one. Breathalysers must conform to French standards denoted by a 'NF" number. A French rental car should come equipped with all required safety equipment including the breathalyser but check this before leaving the rental location. If you need to ask for a breathalyser, you're after "un éthylotest", pronounced eh-teel-oh-test.