The best way to rent cars in France: the supermarket

Supermarket car rentals in France are cheap, convenient and really, just better - as long as you try to understand some of the local nuances.

Before we get started, please note that this is primarily from an American perspective. Laws and regulations may differ depending on your country of origin. I’ve rented a lot of cars in several different countries, but alway relied on “car rental agencies,” which haven’t been so good for us here. It’s not that service has been bad, except at Nantes Airport (sorry, folks), it’s just that it’s been so much better with the supermarket and so much cheaper.

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Some groceries, some peanut butter, a car for the weekend…

When I first heard of this, I thought it was bizarre, but with stores like Lowe’s and Home Depot now renting trucks and vans in the US, I guess it’s not so unusual. That said, the cars are often newer, well taken care of and the service is excellent, even if you have to be patient because there’s usually only one person who handles the rental cars. And yes, everything is in French.

In contrast, English-language rental websites here have been either expensive or with poor service, or both - offering cars at significantly higher daily rates, ranging from €30 to €70/day. The supermarket option? Less than €10/day, even for fancy options.

We don’t own, we just rent

We live in a city with a lot of services nearby and easily available public transit. So we've opted not to own a car for now, just renting vehicles for occasional errands and countryside drives. The most convenient spots for car rentals are supermarkets.

Major chains such as Super U, Carrefour, and LeClerc offer many options for rental cars at affordable rates: around €6-15 per day, depending. However, mileage and fuel costs are additional. Returning the vehicle involves more than just topping up the gas; it must be handed back both washed and vacuumed – “nickel” as I have been told repeatedly. Considering the price, this additional step seems reasonable to me.

Further, most of these supermarkets are right near public transit, as opposed to heading out to the airport miles away to get a car.

For the cost and quality of car rentals, even with additional work involved, supermarkets are simply the best deal and the best car rental experiences I’ve had in France.

All of these places - Super U, Carrefour, and LeClerc – have provided great rental services. My personal preference is LeClerc , but maybe just because know me there now. Honestly, it’s got more to do with the fact that the place is the easiest to get to and I like their baked goods.

All of them not only offer standard cars but moving vans and, in some locations, even flatbeds to move another car, if you somehow need to do that. I’ve never driven one of them, personally.

Before you get driving

Renting a car at one of the supermarkets involves setting up an account, providing details about your driver's license, and then making a reservation. However, unlike many English websites, the French supermarket websites lack an English translation option, necessitating familiarity with the French language.

Translation programs can be very helpful. Early on, I found it really helpful to have 2 windows open – one translated and one in the original. Sometimes, the translated version of the site doesn’t work the way it should and filling out forms is a problem.

Even with the translation, terminology can still be a bit confusing – renting a car is referred to as a "location," while some supermarkets also offer a service called "drive," unrelated to rental cars but focused on picking up online orders in-store.

When creating an account, you might find a peculiar field requesting the start date of your license. French law mandates a minimum of five years since obtaining your license, regardless of your total years of driving experience. When you fill out this field, make sure that you say you’ve had the license for 5 years or more – that is, if you really have.

Rental periods are limited to 30 days due to insurance constraints, but renewing at the end of this period is an option.

Remember to return it clean: “nickel!!”

These supermarkets are often massive complexes with gas stations and car washes nearby. However, it's not guaranteed that a car wash will have also have vacuums – it’s a peculiar inconsistency. Around Nantes, I find we are often close to an Astikoto, but it’s best to ask when you first rent the car.

Despite the language barrier, try to find out where you can get your rental car washed and vacuumed before hitting the road. This holds true even for pricier rentals and, I’d assume, is also true for the moving vans and flatbeds.

Quick Tips for Seamless Car Rentals:

- Car rentals are charged per day, with mileage estimates required during reservation.

"Location" refers to rental. “Drive” is where you pick up online orders.

- Go to the service desk or customer service desk for rental car queries - usually, only one staff member is designated to help.

- Bring your driver's license and passport.

- Return the car in the same clean condition to avoid additional cleaning charges. Honestly, they will not even take it back.

- Identify nearby car wash and vacuum facilities. In Nantes, look for a nearby Astikoto, for example.

- Keep receipts for gas purchases; they will be requested upon return. Trust me; it's more convenient than a march back to the gas pumps with a annoyed clerks.

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