Renting a car in Provence is the best way to explore the region, with its magnificent beaches, picturesque villages and fascinating museums…
Based on our years of experience renting cars around the world, including Provence, here is our complete guide to car rental in Provence (Nice, Marseille, Cannes…): where to rent, prices, best rental companies, choice of cars, access…
How to rent a car in Provence: quick answer
1. Where to rent a car
Choose your destination and compare prices on our preferred platform: DiscoverCars.com. It’s one of the best rated by users on Trustpilot!
The places where you will have the most choice of cars are:
- Nice Airport – see offers
- Marseille Airport – see offers
- Marseille-Saint-Charles station – see offers
- Nice train station – see offers
- Aix-en-Provence-TGV station – see offers (note that Aix-en-Provence has 2 stations)
- Cannes train station – see offers
- Avignon station – see offers
2. When to reserve your car
Book early to get the best prices and choice of cars (there are few automatic cars in France).
3. Which car to choose
If you’re staying close to the coast, a small car will make parking easier.
If you’re heading for the mountains, don’t take the smallest cars, as they’ll lack power.
4. Which rental company to choose
Our advice is to choose rental companies with a rating above 7.8 (our price/service quality limit).
There’s no one agency that really stands out in the region.
5. Decide on platform insurance
We have used the platform’s insurance several times and everything has gone smoothly.
Advantage: less expensive than the rental company’s, efficient for reimbursements
Disadvantage: an amount will be blocked on your credit card for the duration of the rental, so the rental company will still try to get you to buy theirs.
6. Check the car
Whatever the country, always check the car before you leave and take photos of any damage (including the roof and under the bumpers) – checklist below.
You should also check out the options for paying tolls.
Based on our local experience, we detail the process for collecting your car below, followed by all our advice based on over 20 years of car rentals worldwide.
Is it worth renting a car in Provence?
It all depends on what you plan to do during your stay.
Here are the two different cases:
- If you’re only staying in one of the big cities to visit all its museums, enjoy its beaches and explore the city, don’t bother with a car.
- But if you want to explore the beautiful region, visit villages, get out of town, you absolutely need a car. And it’s worth it. The region is magnificent!
Car rental locations
To find out more about access to car rental companies in different cities, take a look at our articles:
Car rental regulations in Nice, France
Age
The official driving age in France is 18.
However, most car rental agencies in France often require you to be 21 years old and to have held a driving license for more than a year. Be sure to read the conditions.
Permits
To be authorized to drive in France (on vacation / short trip), you can use a standard international driving license. This means a permit that has :
- a license number,
- a photograph,
- a validity date,
- and is written in Latin letters.
In this case, you don’t need an international permit.
Credit card
If you take out comprehensive insurance directly with the rental company, no need to worry about the card.
However, if you use another type of insurance, a deposit must be paid at the start of the rental period. For this reason, some rental companies insist on a credit card and refuse debit cards. Make sure this isn’t a problem for you (and also for the deposit amount, which is blocked on your card and counts towards your payment limit).
Checking the car
If you take out comprehensive insurance directly with the rental company, remember to take a good look around the car before you leave, and to take photographs. If the parking lot is dark, use your phone’s flashlight.
Things to look for:
- Check the entire exterior of the car for dents and scratches.
- Don’t forget to check the roof! It’s often forgotten, but it may be checked on your return.
- Don’t forget the underside of the bumper
- And don’t forget the rear-view mirrors
- Check for interior damage
- Check tire condition
- Check the condition of the wing (mud wing above the wheels)
- Check that the spare tire is in place and in good condition
- Check that fuel level and mileage correspond to the file
Frequently asked questions: best rental agency, prices…
Which is the best car rental company in Provence?
There’s no better rental company that really stands out among the classic brands. We don’t have any specific names to give you, or to avoid. All has gone well with those we’ve tested so far.
To help you choose, we recommend the following criteria:
- the type of car available
- the price
- cancellation conditions
- authorized mileage
- pick-up location – some require a shuttle to reach the rental location
- Discovercars ratings (above 7.8 shouldn’t be a problem)
- comments on the Internet: beware, only people who have problems tell us about them. The 98% of people who had no problems didn’t take the time to write that everything went well.
Which car to choose?
To begin with, most cars in France are manual. If you want an automatic, remember to book early.
Then it depends on your program and how many people you are:
- For two people staying on the Côte d’Azur, we recommend a very small car to make parking easier.
- If you’re heading further inland, choose a slightly larger car to give you more power for the mountain climbs.
- And if you’re bringing the whole family, choose the right size to fit them all in, as well as your suitcases.
- There’s no need for a 4WD
How much does it cost to rent a car in Provence?
Car rental prices in Provence depend on the time of year, the type of car, the conditions taken, and how far in advance you rent.
Prices are highest in summer, averaging around 80 euros a day (if booked well in advance).
In November and January, prices fall by around 50 euros on average.
See the best offers on our preferred platform.
What insurance should I take out? We’ve tested it all!
The question of insurance is not easy to explain. But here are a few things you should know:
The minimum insurance requirements for driving in France are included in the rental price.
All we’re offering is a way of reducing the cost in case you damage the car (which is already limited to a certain sum).
Option 1 – Use your credit card insurance
Start by checking whether your credit card includes car rental insurance. But be sure to read all the fine print, as it often contains very precise criteria and limits. Among other things, there are limits on rental periods.
Option 2 – Rental platform insurance / or specialized insurance platforms
If you go through one of the platforms, they offer insurance.
Advantage: a very attractive price, many things are covered, fast refunds (we used it on Discovercars and the refund was made within 7 days).
Disadvantage: the rental company will still block the deposit on your card, insist that you take out their insurance (be careful not to double up), deduct the amount from your deposit, and you will be reimbursed by the platform when you send in the paperwork.
Option 3 – Rental company’s on-site insurance
Advantage: no deposit to block, no photos to take
Disadvantage: much higher price
Scams
We are not aware of any particular scams in Provence. Take all your photos, and you should be fine.
What to do if there’s a problem with the car?
Don’t lose your rental agreement.
On this page, you will find the steps to take if you have a problem with your car.
Most use a breakdown assistance service, and the number will be indicated on the contract. You can then contact the rental company to see how to replace the car.
Driving in Provence: what you need to know
Driving rules in France
- Driving is on the right side of the road
- Seat belts are mandatory for all
- Alcohol content is 0.05%.
- The speed limits are well indicated in the red circle.
- In France, if a crossroads has no sign or indication, you give way to the person coming from your right.
- Traffic on the traffic circle has the right of way, except in a few cases where signs indicate otherwise.
- You don’t have the right to turn right at a red light, as is possible in some countries. A red light means stop.
Driving in Provence
Provence’s major cities are Marseille and Nice.
We advise you to park and visit these cities by public transport, especially Marseille.
So remember to budget for parking.
Driving on the Côte d’Azur and in Provence
If you explore the region, you’ll find all kinds of roads:
- Multi-lane freeways with tolls
- Country roads with one lane in each direction
- Winding mountain roads with steep gradients
- Narrow village roads
By the way, if you’re visiting a village, choose the tourist parking lots around it, and don’t try to get in. The alleys can be really narrow!
Many parking lots charge parking fees, especially on the Côte d’Azur. You can use an app on your phone, or pay with cash or card at the kiosks. On city streets, you need your license plate to get a parking ticket.
What to do in the event of an accident
If people are injured or there is a conflict, the emergency number in France is 112:
The best order of action is:
- contact emergency services
- contact the police
- contact your rental company
