Appendix - France 2014 - page 1560

If you want a car for only a day or two (e.g., for the D-Day beaches or Loire
châteaux), you'll likely find it cheaper to rent it in France at a local agency—most US-ar-
ranged rentals make financial sense only for three days or more. You can rent a car on the
spot just about anywhere in France. In many cases, this is a worthwhile splurge. All you
need is your American driver's license and a major credit card (figure €65-85/day, includ-
ing 100 kilometers, or 60 miles, per day).
When you pick up the rental car, check it thoroughly and make sure any damage is
noted on your rental agreement. Find out how your car's lights, turn signals, wipers, and
fuelcapfunction,andknowwhatkindoffuelthecartakes.Whenyoureturnthecar,make
sure the agent verifies its condition with you.
A France Rail and Drive Pass allows you to mix car and train travel economically
(soldonlyoutside France, available fromyourtravel agent). Thebasic versioncomes with
two days of car rental and two days of rail in one month. Generally big-city connections
arebestdonebytrain,andruralregionsarebestdonebycar.WithaFranceRailandDrive
Pass, you can take advantage of the speed and comfort of the TGV trains for longer trips,
and rent a car for as little as one day at a time for day trips that can't be done without one
(such as the Loire, the Dordogne, and Provence).
Youcanpickupacarinonecityanddropitoffinanother.Youmustreserveeachcar
pick-up and each TGV seat at least three days in advance, and preferably much earlier, as
vehicles are not always available on short notice and TGV trains limit the number of seats
for railpass travelers.
Car Insurance Options
When you rent a car, you are liable for a very high deductible, sometimes equal to the en-
tire value of the car. Limit your financial risk with one of these three options: Buy Colli-
sion Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage from the car-rental company, get coverage through
your credit card (free, if your card automatically includes zero-deductible coverage), or
buy coverage through Travel Guard.
CDW includes a very high deductible (typically $1,000-1,500). Though each rental
company has its own variation, the basic CDW costs $15-35 a day (figure roughly 30 per-
cent extra) and reduces your liability, but does not eliminate it. When you pick up the
car, you'll be offered the chance to “buy down” the deductible to zero (for an additional
$10-30/day; this is sometimes called “super CDW”).
If you opt for credit-card coverage, there's a catch: You'll technically have to de-
cline all coverage offered by the car-rental company, which means they can place a hold
on your card (which can be up to the full value of the car). In case of damage, it can be