Taking rental car from Spain to France advice req'd.

[9.3]

Tried Googling without success - we're flying into Girona and taking a hire car up to Perpignan across the border via the E15. Are there any border/passport controls or is it a straight through drive?

And presumably we'll have to take our own breathalysers although I think it's not a requirement until November.

Thanks for any info

[LuS1fer]

I'm sure the T&Cs usually forbid you taking it out of the country you hire in. I'd check carefully.

[Sarkmeister]

We hired a car in Bilbao and drove it to Biarritz last year. There were no border controls. Can't even remember the border to be honest.

[Sarkmeister]

Also, I checked and we were allowed to drive it to certain other countries, France obviously being one of them.

[jazzybee]

Your rental agreement states which countries the car can be driven to. Depending on company, car etc. You can usually drive around most western European countries - most of my rental agreements have allowed this, and I have done so many times.

[zbc]

9.3 said:

And presumably we'll have to take our own breathalysers although I think it's not a requirement until November.

It's a requirement now but they've said they won't fine anyone until November - very French. French hire cars I've had recently either had them or should have but if you're picking it up in Spain then probably best to assume not. You might also find it hard to buy near the border as supplies are variable, but I'm sure someone will have raised their prices enough to keep a few in stock just for you if you forget.

[9.3]

LuS1fer said:

I'm sure the T&Cs usually forbid you taking it out of the country you hire in. I'd check carefully.

We have specified on the rental that the car is going to France, no extra charge.

Thanks for the other info everyone.

[Jaguar steve]

We did the same but in reverse last year. There are customs in Andorra we got stopped and had a passport check and a brief search done when we went through. The customs officers wanted to know how much booze we were carrying and where we had come from and that was about it. One way car hire (C4 Picasso) was pretty expensive though - we picked up at Carsaconne airport and dropped off a fortnight later at Reus airport and IIRC total cost was about 800 Euro.

Epic drive though - mountain roads through Andorra are spectacular and duty free booze and smokes are very cheap there too