Appendix - France 2014 - page 1561

time-consuming to resolve the charges with your credit-card company. Before you decide
on this option, quiz your credit-card company about how it works.
Finally, you can buy collision insurance from Travel Guard ($9/day plus a one-
time $3 service fee covers you for up to $35,000, $250 deductible, tel. [phone],
www.travelguard.com ) . It's valid everywhere in Europe except the Republic of Ireland,
and some Italian car-rental companies refuse to honor it. Note that various states differ on
which products and policies are available to their residents—check with Travel Guard be-
fore you rent your car.
For more on car-rental insurance, see www.ricksteves.com/cdw .
Leasing
For trips of three weeks or more, consider leasing (which automatically includes zero-de-
ductiblecollisionandtheftinsurance).Bytechnicallybuyingandthensellingbackthecar,
you save lots of money on tax and insurance. Leasing provides you a brand-new car with
unlimited mileage and a 24-hour emergency assistance program. You can lease for as little
as 21 days to as long as six months. Car leases must be arranged from the US.
Anyone age 18 or over with a driver's license is eligible. You can pick up or return
cars in major cities outside of France, but you'll have to pay an additional fee.
Four reliable companies offer 21-day lease packages:
• Auto France (Peugeot cars only, US tel. [phone], fax [phone],
www.autofrance.net )
• Europe by Car (Peugeot, Citroën, and Renault cars, US tel. [phone],
www.ebctravel.com )
• Idea Merge (Volkswagen, Citroen, Renault and Peugeot, US and Canada toll-free
tel. [phone], www.ideamerge.com )
• Kemwel (Peugeot cars only, US tel. [phone], www.kemwel.com ).
RV and Campervan Rental
Even given the extra fuel costs, renting your own rolling hotel can be a great way to save
money,especiallyifyou'restickingmainlytoruralareas.KeepinmindthatRVsinFrance
are much smaller than those you see at home. Companies to consider:
• Van It (mobile [phone], www.van-it.com )
• Idea Merge (thebestresourceforsmallRVrental,seelistingin“Leasing,”above)
• Origin (current-model Volkswagen vans fully equipped for 2-3 people, rates less
than RVs, mobile [phone], www.origin-campervans.com ).