To rent a car on vacation, contact one of the rental companies: Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Budget, Dergi Et Cie, Snac and others. To get a car, you need to provide a driver's license (a national plastic card with data in English or French), a passport and a credit card in the driver's name.
Driving experience must be at least one year, driver's age — at least 21 years old (if the car is a high-class car, at least 23 years old). The minimum rental time is 24 hours, if you return the car 12 hours later, you will be fined 60% of the daily fee. When you return the car, it is necessary to fix all, even minor damages and scratches on the body, and indicate it in the contract.
Car rental in Paris without a deposit is not practiced. The amount of the deposit depends on the class of the car and on average is from 600 to 1000 EUR. The cost of fuel is not included in the price (the car must be returned with a full tank, because of a few missing liters you will be charged the cost of a full tank).
Be sure to check the mileage limit — whether it is unlimited or if the company applies a limit with an additional fee.
The daily rental price for a small car in Paris starts from 25–30 EUR, for a mid-range car — from 40 EUR, and for a business-class vehicle — around 80 EUR (if rented for several days). If renting for just one day, an economy-class car will cost from 45 EUR, a mid-range one — from 90 EUR, and a business-class — from 180 EUR.
The cheapest car rentals in Paris are usually offered by small local companies. However, such firms may provide vehicles that are not in perfect condition. How to make car rental in Paris cheaper? Firstly, choose a diesel car (diesel fuel is cheaper). Secondly, book your car in advance — this will save both money (20–30% discount) and time.
Parking in Paris can be quite challenging. From 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., parking is paid everywhere (in the city center — from 4 EUR, in the outer districts — from 2.5 EUR), with a maximum on-street parking time of 6 hours. You can pay for parking through the PayByPhone, Flowbird, or ParkNow apps. The fine for illegal parking is up to 75 EUR. Underground parking garages cost from 25 to 45 EUR per day.
