What should a tourist know about booking a rental car in France? You may wonder first: is an American driver’s license valid in France? Most European nations will respect a valid U.S. driver’s license, however there is still the possibility that you will run into some difficulty. Therefore, many tourists prefer to invest in an International Driving Permit. This is a very good idea, particularly if you take many overseas vacations.

This may be necessary for a rental car in France or other countries where the alphabetic structure is vastly different from English. It never hurts to have an IDP along with your regular license while using a rental car in France. An IDP is written in 10 different languages and is officially recognized by over 150 members of the United Nations.

You can easily book a rental car in France using a foreign rental agency. Most of these companies will accept major U.S. credit cards like American Express, MasterCard or Visa. You could also use charge cards, prepaid vouchers or international money for your payment method. However, always take along a credit card in the event of an emergency. The foreign company who provides a rental car in France will need a way of contacting you.

The good news here is that some Credit Card Companies do provide their international travelers damage or loss insurance to the rental vehicle. However, always verify with the company to make sure there are no surprises at the worst time possible. For more tips on renting a car in France continue on with the next article.