Compare Airport car hire deals in France 

You can pick up a cheap rental car from most of France's major airports, including Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG), Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE) and Lyon Saint Exupéry (LYS). Outside of Paris, most airports are within easy reach of nearby cities – in Nice, for example, the car transfer time can be less than 20 minutes in good traffic.

Big car hire brands are well represented in France, with the likes of Avis, Hertz, Sixt and Europcar offering deals in the largest airports and city centres. You'll even find many of them at smaller airports such as Poitiers (PIS) and Nimes (FNI), along with local providers.

You’ll find every road type imaginable in France, from wide motorways and narrow city streets to winding mountain passes in the Alps and Pyrenees. The country’s network of motorways is excellent, but watch your speed – a lot of roads have radar cameras and you’ll be required to pay a spot fine if you’re caught going over the French speed limits (more on those below).

Signposting is good throughout the country, so finding your way is relatively simple outside of very rural areas. It’s a good idea to map out your route in advance, or bring along a sat-nav. Sat-navs with traffic alerts are also handy for route planning around major cities, which get congested at peak times.

Parking in big cities can be an issue too, but only if you're trying to save money; spacious underground and multi-storey car parks are widespread, and the only drawback is the price.

If you’re planning on visiting or travelling through certain cities in France (including Paris, Lyon and Grenoble), double check that your hire car has a Crit’Air sticker. These cities are low emission zones and require you to have a clean air sticker for your vehicle or you risk a fine.

Provence

As if inland Provence's red earth, fragrant lavender fields and medieval towns weren't enough, the wider region – Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur – also stretches east and south to the foothills of the Alps and the glamorous French Riviera. So if you're willing to do enough driving, it delivers jaw-dropping mountain lakes and golden beaches too. Brave souls can take on the winding roads of the Verdon Gorge, which are as terrifying as they are spectacular.

Normandy

Follow the Seine out of Paris and you'll come to a region of art, history and hearty farmhouse food. On the coast, beaches offer poignant reminders of the D-Day landings, while the island town of Mont-Saint-Michel rises improbably out of the sea – it is completely cut off from land when the tide rolls in. Elsewhere, visit the medieval city of Rouen and Monet's famous gardens at Giverny – well worth the trip, even if you have to share them with river cruise groups during peak season.

The Pyrenees

Head into this southern mountain range, right on the border with Spain, for dramatic snow-capped peaks, quaint villages and outdoor adventures. Historic, Catalan-influenced Perpignan anchors the region on the east coast; in the centre you have the gorgeous lakes of the Néouvielle National Nature Reserve and the pilgrimage site of Lourdes; and if you keep pushing west you'll eventually reach the chic beach resort of Biarritz. Plenty, in other words, to keep eager drivers busy.

1. The speed limits on French roads drop in rainy weather. Autoroutes go from 130kmph (80mph) to 110kmph (68mph); dual carriageways from 110kmph (68mph) to 100km/h (62mph); and other non-urban roads from 90kmph (55mph) to 80kmph (50mph). In exceptionally bad visibility, all roads drop to 50kmph (31mph).
   
2. French driving laws require all drivers to carry a breathalyser, fluorescent jacket and warning triangle. Before you agree to rent a car in France, check that these are supplied.
   
3. The drink-driving limit is lower in France than in the UK, especially if you’re a new driver. The limit is 0.5 grams per litre or 0.2 grams per litre if you’ve been driving for less than three years.
   
   

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.