Europe & Beyond

Hire Car Holidays in France

Car Hire France – Make the Most of a Paris Trip

Paris is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe and is the perfect place for anyone looking for a city break. The city has many tourist attractions, including the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Basilique du Sacré Coeur, the Arc de Triomphe, the Champs-Elysées and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame.

However, if you decide to choose a car hire package whilst you are in Paris, you can take a break from the city and explore some of the great locations just outside of the city.

Hire Car Paris – Here are just some of the attractions that you can visit.

Versailles

The Palace of Versailles was originally constructed in 1623 as a hunting lodge for Louis XII of France, but was expanded during the mid to late seventeenth century during the reign of Louis XIV, the Sun King. It eventually became the official residence of the Court of France in 1682. It is still one of France’s national palaces.

The site is vast and the palace is set within beautiful grounds, so there is plenty to explore. Highlights include the Grand Apartment, the Hall of Mirrors, the Chapel Royal, the Opera and the opulent Queen’s Bedchamber (once used by Marie Antoinette). The gardens feature fountains, arbours, statues, groves and ornamental pools.

It will take you about half an hour to drive to Versailles from Paris in your hire car.

Mont-Saint-Michel

Mont-Saint-Michel is a small, rocky island off the coast of Normandy and is home to the beautiful Abbaye du Mont-Saint-Michel (Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey). It is accessible from the mainland via a causeway. The Romanesque monastery and church were built during the 11th century, although the first shrine, dedicated to St. Michael, was constructed on the island in 708.

You can take a tour of the abbey and visit the island’s museums, which include a maritime museum and a history museum. There are also a number of shops, restaurants and hotels on the island, so it’s the perfect place to stay for a day or two in order to break up your Paris hire car holiday.

It will take you about three and a half hours to drive to Mont-Saint-Michel from Paris in your hire car.

Giverny

The village of Giverny lies about 80km to the west of Paris and is most famous for being the home of the Impressionist artist Claude Monet. Monet lived in Giverny for more than 40 years and his house and gardens are now open to the public. You can take a tour of his house and workshop, and explore the beautiful gardens which inspired much of his work. You can see the famous water garden and Japanese bridge which appear in some of his most famous paintings.

It will take you about an hour and a quarter to drive to Giverny from Paris in your hire car.

Fontainebleau

Fontainebleau is a popular tourist destination which is located about 35 miles from Paris, on the edge of the Fontainebleau Forest. One of its main attractions is its castle, which consists of the Palais de Fontainebleau (Fontainebleau Palace) together with courtyards, parks and gardens. Dating back to the Middle Ages, the palace was extended and renovated over the centuries and was used as a royal residence by many French Kings and Queens, as well as being used by Napoleon Bonaparte.

You can take a tour of the State apartments, explore the courtyards and gardens, view the real tennis court and see the 16th century Diana Fountain. You can even take a ride around the estate in a horse-drawn carriage.

It will take you just under an hour to drive to Fontainebleau from Paris in your hire car.

Hiring a car in France will enable you to explore at your own pace and in comfort. You won’t have to worry about public transport timetables and will be able to set your own schedule. Travelling by hire car will also allow you to see places that you might otherwise miss, giving you a real taste of France.

If you are planning to hire a car in Paris, or another location in France, check out Easycar for some great deals.  Easycar is an online car hire specialist and offers car hire services in more than 60 countries.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 10th, 2008 at 3:06 pm and is filed under Car Hire, English. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.