Our itinerary is shaping up this way. I know it looks chopped up in places, but part of that was bec

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Our itinerary is shaping up this way. I know it looks chopped up in places, but part of that was because getting hotel reservations in Provence caused a bit of a problem, reno hotel but I'm happy with where we are staying.
After Paris, our first 2 days will be in Levernois to take a wine tour. I was thinking the best thing to do is to take a train from Paris to Dijon or Lyon and pick up a rental car there. reno hotel Dijon looked like the better place so that we wouldn't have to backtrack to get to Levernois. reno hotel But, I don't know anything about either city also where rental cars are available. What suggestions or experience do you have with either place?
After 2 days in Levernois, we are driving to Provence and spending 5 days. We are staying 2 days in Gordes and 4 days in Saint Remy then flying out of Marsaille. How long do you think it will take to drive from Saint Remy to Marsaille and is there a drop off place at the airport there?
My next big question, is how do I rent a car? I've read some bad stories about Hertz I don't know anything about car companies in Europe. reno hotel I know my Visa cc covers car insurance, but is there something else I should be concerned about? Are most of the cars standards? My husband I both know how to drive a standard, but it would make me really nervous if we found ourselves on a curvy, hilly road which I'm pretty sure we will. How can I ensure we get an automatic?
Any thing else I should be thinking about? Will there be a charge to pick up the car in one place return to another? I've read a lot of reviews where people did that, but recently I saw a posting that companies are charging for that now, then someone else said they do if the car is dropped at a small town with little chance of rental. Anybody know?
Apparently reno hotel this year France is requiring an International Driving Permit - sold at your AAA for $15 - a translation of your local license, which is valid in France but needs apparently to be accompanied now by the IDP - this according to a recent thread on Fodor's.
You can get an automatic in Europe. It will probably cost more and you should reserve it at towns large enough to have some on hand. Dijon would qualify; we have picked up an automatic there before. I think the car rental place is in the train station. You might have an extra charge to drop it off at a small town, but they should give you that information when you reserve the car. AutoEurope is what we have used almost every trip to Europe. Generally things go fine; there have been occasional wrinkles. When renting a car anywhere outside your home country, bring patience and flexibility along because it may be a little different than what you are used to, but it's still essentially the same process. Usually we have paid for our rental ahead of time with AutoEurope, so you should know the cost when you reserve.
Be advised that, though you can request an automatic, it can never be 100% guaranteed. And yes, even when renting through reno hotel AutoEurope, there are sometimes one-way drop-off fees within the country. Hertz and Avis are the ones I've been hearing about most lately. reno hotel Europcar does not impose such a fee. So if AutoEurope can hook you up with Europcar, that may be your best bet.
AutoEurope Kemwel are the same company. About a month ago I called the Kemwel number, and from one agent I rented 2 cars through Kemwel 1 through AutoEurope. Determine specific car classes and rates on their web site, and then call them to actually reno hotel rent the car. Kemwell has had better rates the last few years in France, than AutoEurope had.
Like others have said, pick up the car in Dijon - NOT Lyon (too hard to drive through) or Beaune (the rental company we drove past daily for 2 weeks was nowhere near the train station - plus there are no direct TGV trains to Beaune reno hotel from Paris). Note that the Dijon rental offices reno hotel are closed on Sundays and during lunch.
We've been renting automatics the last several years. Just to make sure that they have one at the Dijon office with your name on it, call the Dijon office one day in advance to make sure (Kemwell will have the phone # on their voucher). Also, make sure you reserve a diesel car - which is much cheaper than normal gas diesel gets better mileage. Kemwel reno hotel will put this "request" on the "comments" section of their voucher
Most rental cars are indeed standards. Automatics will cost more to rent and are taxed separately(called an environmental tax). The only way to be sure of getting reno hotel one would be to pickup one in Paris and drive to Dijon which would also save you the train station pickup surcharge of approximately 40 .
Autoeurope quotes do include VAT but do not include road taxes, location reno hotel surcharges, additional driver fees, one way fees, or environmental fees. These various fees and charges are invoiced at drop off.
Hey, you're not kidding when you said they charge extra for an automatic. reno hotel A VW Golf stick shift is $158.27/day, but the automatic is $317.20/day!!! For that difference, I can shut my eyes when my husband drives on hills and curves!!! Thanks for the "heads up."
I did visit Provence last summer with a manual shift car. The road condition in Provence reno hotel is great. reno hotel However thr local people drive pretty reno hotel fast, but in good manner. I always give way to them coz I m not driving reno hotel fast enough. In the country side, there are many blind spots among the bends. U may need to lower thr speed when approaching reno hotel them, cos thr locals reno hotel can bend very fast. While I m at 50/KMH, they should be at 70-90... Again their skills are excellent, just as a stranger to the area, better keep a moderate speed. And be aware of speed ticket. I got one,,, which is 60euro if I recalled it correctly.
The lavender will be in full bloom in late June (if spring has not been too cool) and in July (before harvesting). This is a lovely drive. It s off the beaten path. Allow of a day. We have taken several of our friends on this route they have all said the same thing this is what I expected Provence to look like . There s no ugly commerce just vineyards, lavender fields, perched non-touristy medieval villages, spectacular gorges, mountains, and a chateau. Even if you are not visiting during lavender reno hotel season, this is a very pretty drive try to do it on a clear day.
This route starts at Les Imberts, which is a small village just south of Gordes. Go towards Gordes on the D2, but just before Gordes, take the road to Sault that turns to the right (I think it s still the D2). This will take you just east of Gordes where you will see another nice view of Gordes. From the D2, take the D102 toward Lioux where the road passes Joucas and there are vineyards everywhere (and some very exclusive homes). Follow the signs to Lioux and get on the D60 just past Joucas. As you approach Lioux, you will see a large sheared rock formation to your right. You may have already seen this formation from several vantage points in the Luberon it s quite spectacular in the evening when it glows as the late day sun hits it. Don t go to Lioux, but instead take the D60A (towards Sault) reno hotel which parallels the D60 (that goes through Lioux) this will give you the best view of this rock formation. reno hotel Once past Lioux, get on the D943 to Sault and follow the signs to Sault.
A few miles past Lioux, reno hotel you will pass an interesting looking Chateau that still looks inhabited. Several miles past this Chateau, you will see some majestic lavender fields on both sides of the D943, with a fantastic view of Mt Ventoux in the background. We ve take dozens of pictures here, and also (discretely) clipped a few lavender stalks to throw on the floor of the car so that when we stepped on them, the lavender scent would be released and we would get the smell of Provence to go along with our viewing of Provence. Continue reno hotel on the D943 toward Sault.
If really like perched villages and want to see my choice for perhaps the most perfect village, and some more beautiful lavender fields take a bypass to Simiane la Rotonde*. reno hotel Just before reaching Sault on the D943 (before going over a bridge), take the D245 southeast towards St Christol. reno hotel Be patient there are lots of lavender fields on the D245, but they don t start to appear right away. At St Cristol, take the D30 towards Apt, then take the D166 and then the D18 to Simiane, but do not drive into this perched village yet. Instead, bypass it and drive toward Carniol on the D18. You will pass some more lavender fields in a valley just below Simiane, and then climb up on a bluff where you will get a spectacular view of Simiane with these lavender fields below keep looking behind you toward Simiane to find this viewpoint. This fabulous view is only good in the morning at least 1 hour (or earlier) reno hotel before high noon . After admiring the views, reverse the car go back to Simiane for a visit.
As you approach Simiane, bear to the left and follow the signs to la Rotonde . This road may look like it is leaving Simiane, but it is actually getting you to the back of the town where there is a parking lot. Wander through Simiane. It s a very lovely village. Try to find the small covered terrace with views back to where you viewed Simiane from the bluff. There is a place to get lunch close by they will serve you on this terrace, which formerly was a marketplace.
As you drive up into town and get to a spot where several roads meet, the second road to the right after this intersection will take you to a parking lot. Explore Sault. There are a few cute shops many outside spots to have lunch. There is a very famous nougat store close to the intersection. The most scenic reno hotel place for lunch is near a very large park that overlooks the massive lavender fields in the valley below Sault (you will be driving through these fields next). There is usually a pizza truck parked nearby if you don t