Driving offers you the most freedom in France especially in the regional areas where public transport coverage is far less than major metropolitan centres. Driving on the other side of the road (and the car) takes a little getting used to, but is well worth taking the plunge.

There are plenty of good options for hiring and leasing vehicles in France. Most of the major car hire operators are present throughout France plus a few you may not have heard of.

Drive Away Holidays and Global Cars are Australian based rental car wholesalers offering good deals in a range of countries including France. This means you can book and pay in Australian dollars prior to leaving.

Some hire car companies operating in France
Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Alamo , Easycar, TT Car, National-Citer and Sixt

Eurolease has been operating in France for decades and is very popular with tourists. As a non European citizen (eg Australians) you can lease a brand new Citroen, Renault or Peugeot for between 17 and 180 days for a similar cost to hiring.

If you only need a vehicle for a few days at a time then there are the usual global operators such as Hertz, Avis, Europcar etc. If you are flying with Ryan Air you can book Hertz through their site and get some good deals.

A credit card is essential for hire car booking and an International Driving Permit is recommended.

To find your way around France, Michelin produce excellent maps and travel guides and are the reference for motoring information Europewide. Their excellent Viamichelin.com site has state of the art route planners and zoomable maps.

France has one of the best road networks in the world from their magnificent autoroutes through to winding country roads. Generally they are kept in excellent repair with good surfaces. Interestingly the Tour de France can be held responsible for the excellent state of many country roads as the route changes every year with districts vying for the honour of the Tour visiting them. This is conditional upon having good road surfaces.

Autoroutes (tolls motorways) crisscross France and are the fastest way to drive around the country (130km speed limit). Expect to pay 6-10 Euros per 100km however. Never fear, there are free alternatives such as the Route Nationale (RN) which are highways predating the autoroutes usually run parallel with them. The speed limit on Route Nationale is lower (90-110km) and they tend to go into towns rather than between them, which suits most tourists anyway. Around town the limit is 50 km/h unless otherwise stated.

For a comprehensive rundown on French road signs and what they mean click here.

Avoid driving in the major cities if possible. Find an outlying metro station and take the train in. Parking, if you can find it in the big cities is very expensive. There are also usually height restrictions of 2.0m in many city car parks making it impossible for larger vans/people movers to access.

France like all other countries on the European continent drive on the right hand side of the road in left hand drive as opposed to Australia, the UK and Ireland who drive on the left hand side of the road in right hand drive cars. Fortunately the brake and accelerator pedals are in the same order eg right foot does brake and accelerator. Automatics are rare so you will have to get used to gear changing with your right.

A full Australian driving licence is mandatory and an International Driving Permit is a very good idea.

An International Drivers Permit is highly recommended when driving in Europe. These are issued by the Australian Automobile Association or via your state or territory peak motoring body.

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Fuel or carbuerant is more expensive in Europe than in Australia. Deisel (Gazole) is cheaper than unleaded petrol (essence sans plomb) however which is the opposite to Australia. Consequently, around 50% of cars in Europe are diesel due to the their better fuel economy. Modern turbo diesel engines mean you loose little in the way of performance and for the environmentally conscious, diesel fuel in Europe has significant bio-fuel content (ie fuel made from plants). The cheapest fuel is generally at supermarket fuel outlets such as Intermarche, Super U, Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc, Geant etc. The most expensive is usually on Autoroute service stations such as Total, Agip, Esso etc. France has one of the most extensive and best maintained road networks in the world.

For up to the minute fuel prices the French Government has created this excellent site that allows you to chose your region, fuel type and supplier. Go to www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr . It is all in French but is fairly obvious. Their bowsers tend to list 3 decimal places eg 1.256 Euro per litre etc. For an approximate currency conversion go to www.xe.com.

Important Points
* Seat belts are mandatory front and rear
* Blood alcohol limit is 0.5 mg/ml as in Australia
* Speed limits are policed and radar traps are frequent
* Speed cameras on Autoroutes are fixed and are preceeded by warning signs
* Speeding and other traffic offences are subject to on-the-spot fines
* Doing more than 25km/h over the limit can result in on the spot licence confiscation
* Give way to your left at roundabouts (called rondpoints in France)
* Children under 10 not allowed in front seat
* Always have your drivers licence and passport on you when driving in France