France is a large country in western Europe with one long west coast, facing the English Channel (La Manche) and the Atlantic, and another shorter coast in the south, facing the Mediterranean. If you rent a car in France, you’ll find it has a wide variety of landscapes: from the flat farmland in the north to the mountains of the south. Much of France is rural but there are plenty of large cities too. The capital is Paris, in the central northern plains, while other notable cities include Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Lille and Bordeaux. France also includes a lot of islands, from the small rocky outposts off Brittany to the large island of Corsica in the Mediterranean.
If you have a rental car you’ll easily be able to tour the cities and countryside of France. There’s plenty to choose from. Paris is the main attraction, with its largely intact old city centre along the River Seine. Highlights include the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Montmartre area. To the south are the Alps and Pyrenees, and the dramatic scenery around river valleys like the Loire, Rhone and Lot. There’s a lot of exploring to do in rural areas like those along the river Dordogne, and Burgundy too. And don’t neglect the coast: it’s full of great sights, from the glamorous Cote D’Azur to Normandy’s Mont St Michel.
If you are driving in France you’ll find there is a good road network. Many motorways are modern and high quality although you may have to pay a toll to use them. In the maze of smaller roads that cover most of the rest of the country, look out for the distinctive French straight country roads lined by trees. They’re part of the overall experience of driving in France. The driving rules are similar to the neighbouring European countries, including driving on the right side of the road. Despite the long straight empty roads, take care with speed. Note that French police have regular campaigns to strictly enforce speed limits. On-the-spot fines can be severe.
