Renting a Car in Toulouse – A French Affair
Toulouse is in the south of France, in an area well known for its beauty and low-key lifestyle. Many travelers love this area for the pace, the wine, and the proximity to popular destinations like Barcelona, Zurich, Milan and Paris. Renting a car in Toulouse puts you within a day of some of the top places to visit in Europe, making your vacation a truly continental experience.
The south of France is spread out and getting into the comfort of a rental vehicle is the best way to see all that the city and surrounding areas have to offer. Roads are well-maintained, and signage is clear, so navigation is a simple task. Drivers are far less erratic in the south than they are in Paris and other popular areas further north.
Things to Do in and Around Toulouse
Toulouse is probably best known for its vineyards and historical sites. You will find breathtaking castles and forts from long ago scattered throughout the countryside, and visitors can enjoy wine tours at some of the regions oldest and best wine producers.
Toulouse boasts UNESCO World Heritage Site the Canal du Midi; at 150 miles long, this canal is the oldest in Europe that’s still in use. For more natural beauty head to the historical park, Jardin des Plantes, and for some Zen-like tranquility, Jardin Japonais.
Best Times to Travel to Toulouse
Given its location, Toulouse is a great place to visit any time of year. Winter weather is pleasingly mild – rarely dropping below 30℉ – making Toulouse a great place to set as a base for travel within the region. The shoulder months of spring and fall are more popular for tourism as the weather begins to warm up, and then in the summer visitors descend on Toulouse in huge numbers. Throughout the year, expect temperatures to range from around 50°F in mid-winter to 80°F at the height of the busy season.
The Cheapest Cars Available in France
Car hire in Toulouse is quite inexpensive, and it is not difficult to find great deals all year round. With prices starting at around $13 per day, there is a perfect option for anyone exploring Toulouse and the surrounding area.
- Fiat Panda or similar (mini class) – $22/day
- Volkswagen Polo or similar (economy class) – $24/day
- Opel Astra or similar (compact class) – $26/day
- Ford C-Max or similar (intermediate class) – $36/day
- Renault Scenic or similar (standard class) – $38/day
Feel free to use our inbuilt tool to explore pricing information on the vehicle of your choice. The per-day cost for a rental car can vary quite a lot depending on season, availability, the type of vehicle, and duration of the rental.
How to Save your Money
The costs of rental cars in Toulouse are always considerably lower when the vehicle is rented for at least one week. For example, you can expect a car in February that costs $13 per day for a one-week rental to rise in price to about $31 per day when the vehicle is rented for only two days. As you add days, the price drops accordingly.
Renting a car in Toulouse during non-peak-season months allows you to rent for as little as half the peak price.
Picking up your rental from the airport is usually cheaper than at other locations. A compact car rented for one week in February is around $25 per day, while the same car rented for the same duration can cost nearly $40 per day if you pick it up from the train station.
Special offers are regularly displayed on search results on our page at Economy Bookings. Look out for the red tags and over price information to see what kinds of deals you are entitled to.
Rules of the Road
Renting a car in any part of the world comes with a few rules and regulations that you must be aware of. Here are a few of the most important rules for driving in and around Toulouse, France:
- Mobile phone use while driving in France is strictly prohibited. This goes for Bluetooth devices and earpieces as well.
- Check to see if your rental car has a breathalyzer available for use. It is mandatory to have one, and you can be fined if there isn`t one in the vehicle.
- You must not utilize speed camera or radar detectors.
- The minimum age for driving in France is 18.
- Children under the age of 10 must be seated in the back of the vehicle.
- Motorists who are merging onto a main road from the right always have the right of way.
- You should not use your horn in any built-up area or city unless it is absolutely necessary.
- The speed limit for built-up areas in France is 30mph, 55mph for main roads, 68mph on two-lane highways, and for major highways the limit is 80mph.
