First Time in Europe: Car Leasing vs Renting — Which is Better?
DriveNow staff like to have firsthand knowledge of our products. Whenever the opportunity arises, we make sure they experience a different vehicle, destination or style of product. It helps them be the best in the business.
Meet Julie. Julie has been with DriveNow for 10 years and has sold every type of product we offer from car rentals to motorhomes but the one product she has never tried herself was our leasing option.
This year Julie went home to visit her mum in France (she has a French background) and took the opportunity to try out our leasing product.
🚗 Julie tell us about what you got leasing a car in Europe?
- Brand-new, left-hand drive vehicle direct from the factory
- Full factory warranty
- Liability Insurance / Fire Insurance
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) & Theft Protection (TP) with ZERO excess
- Personal Accident Insurance (PAI)
- Unlimited kilometres
- 24-hour roadside assistance
- No bonds or payments upon collection
- Travel in over 30 countries
- FREE Extra Drivers, conditions apply
✨To qualify for a Car-2-Europe lease, all drivers must:
- Reside outside of the European Union
- Stay in the European Union for no more than 175 days in any consecutive 12 month period
- Not carry out any paid activity during your stay (no working Visa's allowed)
- Must be an Australian resident
- Minimum age 18 years with a valid driver's licence
- All paperwork must be completed at least 6 weeks prior to collection
Being part of the DriveNow family made the booking process easy even though I left it to the last minute. It was booked and confirmed in a few days at just 6 weeks of pick-up.
My advice - Book at least 3–4 months in advance for the best choice of vehicle and peace of mind.
🛫 Pick-up Experience
Four days before the pick-up day, I called the depot to confirm my appointment to collect the car at Paris Orly Airport at 10 am. The day before, I had a changed of plan and I called to change my appointment to later. I was advised any time before 5pm, so I confirmed a 4pm pick-up. The depot staff made the last-minute change to my pick-up time with no fuss, a quick and easy process.
Finding the depot was simple. I arrived via train Line 14 which is now running all the way to Orly Airport (don’t forget to buy the special airport fare). Very convenient as before it was only a bus to get to Orly! The meeting point was “Porte 48a” which is outside terminal 4. There was a bit of walking to get there so I was glad I had no luggage. The shuttle was already there waiting and it was just a short 5 min drive to the Renault Eurodrive location. When I arrived all the cars were parked in the yard and not just Renault cars, there was the Peugeot, Citroen and DS as well.
One thing I always tell customers — and I followed my own advice — is don’t pick up your car until you’ve finished exploring Paris.
Even though the speed limit is officially 30 km/h in the city, it’s not always respected. Parisian drivers are… let’s say “expressive” 😅. Add in bike lanes on one-way streets (meaning you have to check both ways before crossing), and it can be stressful. I stuck with the metro for travelling within Paris and saved my driving for the open road.
🛣 On the Road
The Clio was an absolute joy to drive — Brand new, quiet, smooth, and surprisingly spacious for 2 people with luggage. Being a hybrid, it was fuel-efficient, which made a big difference given that I drove quite a bit. It had Cruise Control and most of the options.
Driving in France is familiar to me, but for anyone new:
- 🚦Toll roads (autoroutes) are the quickest option, but they’re not free. Keep your card or some coins handy for the toll booths (péages). Signs with a blue background, mark toll routes, green signs mark toll-free national roads.
- ⛽ Fuel stations on “autoroutes” are pricier — filling up in towns is usually cheaper. Many are unattended after hours, so having a payment card with a PIN is essential.
- 🅿 Parking can be tight in villages, so a compact model like the Clio is ideal. Make sure you keep the number of the licence plate handy with you as most of the time you will require to enter the letters & numbers in the park meter.
- 🛑 Speed limits change depending on the road type and weather: 130 km/h on “autoroutes” in dry weather (110 km/h in wet), 110 km/h on dual carriageways, and 30 or 50 km/h in towns unless otherwise signed.
- 📷 Watch for speed cameras — they are everywhere, and fines are posted internationally. Speed limits are strictly enforced.
🛟Support & Peace of Mind
During my hire, I did not experience any issues, and so I did not contact the 24/7 support team. Everything went smoothly.
🛬 Drop-off
I called a few days before to organise a drop-off time and advise my flight departure details. I was missing the number on the address in the GPS, so I had to call to double check where the drop-off location was. They were friendly and advised me to add number 9 and I found the correct parking spot. There is not a lot of signs to indicate where it was. The drop-off was as smooth as the pick-up. There was a quick inspection, I signed the paperwork (return certificate), and I was on my way in less than 15 minutes. No stress, no hidden charges — exactly how it should be.
The shuttle was waiting for me, and I was at my terminal in 5 min.
🌼Julie’s Tips for First-Time Leasing in France 🌼
- Don’t pick up your car until you’re leaving Paris. The city is best explored on foot or by metro.
- Book early — Whilst I was lucky with booking 5 weeks prior to my pick-up, leasing usually requires much more notice than other rentals as they sell out early during the peak summer travel period and they are newly built vehicles. We anticipate the 2026 rates will be released after the models are launched in Paris in October of this year. So, prices should be available for 2026 in November with the earlybird specials.
- Learn the basics of French road rules — some rules may be different to your home country. Prioritise safe driving, following signage and staying under speed limits.
- Take the right size car — bigger isn’t better on narrow village streets.
- Enjoy the freedom — with unlimited kilometres, you can go from Normandy’s beaches to Provence’s lavender fields without worrying about the odometer.
For my 2 weeks the only reason I leased was to have firsthand experience of the product. For our customers, the benefit of lower cost kicks in when you need a car for more than a month.
If you want to have multiple drivers, full insurance with no excess, unlimited mileage and a NEW CAR! and the actual car you book, leasing is the better option for you.
💬 For me, this trip wasn’t just about visiting my mum — it was about experiencing what so many of our customers do. Now, when I talk about Renault leasing, I can say with full confidence: it’s smooth, stress-free, and gives you the keys to explore France exactly the way you want.
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