Car Rentals at Nantes Airport

Nantes is the busiest airport to the west of France, and is well known as the Nantes Atlantique Airport, with the official code of NTE. The airport is served by a variety of airline companies, such as Air France, Iberia, Transavia, EasyJet and Eastern Airways, and passengers can arrive at the airport from several destinations spread across France and Europe. Bus and taxi services are available for the transport of passengers to their hotels, or the Gare de Nantes, but many passengers prefer to rent a car, from one of the Nantes Airport car hire companies. By rented car is definitely the most convenient option for transport, and allows one to fully explore the attractions in the Pays de la Loire region of the country.

The airport is located approximately 8km, or 5 miles southwest of central Nantes, and particularly nearby the areas of Bouguenais, La Montagne and Bouaye. It is also close by to the city’s peripheral ring motorway, the N844, which surrounds the city, and is linked to all the major roads leading to other regions of France. The main access road of the airport is the D85, which is directly connected to the ring road. Passengers leaving the airport in their rented car can therefore easily drive to the centre of Nantes, or connect to other roads leading away from Nantes, such as the A83 heading south to La Roche-sur-Yon, La Rochelle and Bordeaux, the N137 leading north to Rennes and the N165 to the west providing access to coastal areas, such as Vannes, Lorient and Brest. To the west and closer to Nantes is also the Saint-Nazaire area, just off the N165 and along the N171 National road. Other prominent roads from Nantes are the N249 to Cholet and the A11, which leads to Angers, Le Mans and Paris.  

The Nantes Airport car rental companies include Avis, Sixt, National, Hertz, Alamo, Budget, Easycar, Europcar and Auto Europa, and are located just outside the terminal building, opposite to the airport facilities, and next to the car park from where the rented cars can be collected. Passengers will find the airport easy to navigate, with facilities marked in English and French, and will easily be able to walk to the car hire companies and their vehicles. The terminal of the airport is in an ‘L’ shape, and the longer side consists of Halls 1 to 3, while the shorter side is Hall 4, connected to the rest of the airport by a lobby area. Although passengers can arrange their vehicle directly from the rental counters of their chosen car hire company upon their arrival at the airport, it is recommend to pre-book a vehicle, a few days or even weeks in advance, as this may allow for better rental rates, and peace of mind in knowing your ideal car is ready and waiting for you at the airport.

From most car hire companies, customers will choose a vehicle category, rather than cars by its specific make and model, and categories such as Mini, Economy and Compact contain vehicles with the cheaper rental rates. They are smaller vehicles, similar to the Ford Ka, Smart For Two, Ford Fiesta, Fiat Panda and Opel Corsa, and are ideal for single drivers, couples or even families without too many items of luggage. They are also light on fuel, which will help save a few Euro on petrol costs. Vehicle categories such as these can be chosen by anyone 21 years of age or older, with a valid drivers license and payment card. Most local licenses are accepted, provided that they are printed in English, and credit cards accepted by the majority of car rental companies include American Express, Diners Club, Eurocard, MasterCard and Visa.

Larger sedan models available from Nantes Airport include the Renault Laguna and VW Passat, while more elegant and larger vehicles could be similar to the Mercedes C Class and Audi A7. Vans are a popular choice for groups of passengers, as they have room for seven, eight or nine people and their luggage, for example, the Renault Espace, the Citroen C8, Opel Zafira and the Renault Traffic Combi. Larger, Premium or Luxury vehicles, as well as special cars such as convertibles may require a higher minimum age for rental, usually 25 years or older, and the renter will need to have held their license for at least two years prior to the rental date. Two major credit cards may also be required.

Nantes Airport car rental companies offer a wide range of services, and may offer the rental of optional items of equipment as well, such as satellite navigation systems and child seats. Hand controls may also be available, while a one way hire is the ideal option for customers who will not be returning to the airport. This service allows the customer to deliver the rented car to another location of their car hire company, either in France or in another European country. Cross border rentals are allowed to the majority of locations in Europe. From Nantes Airport, one way hires are free of charge if returned within France, and hand controls and other services for disabled renters will also incur no additional costs. However, optional equipment will be a few extra Euros per day of hire.

Driving in France between cities is relatively easy, as the country has an excellent road network, and the city of Nantes is also very pleasant for motorists, however, driving in the centres of the larger cities of the country, such as Paris, is not often recommended. In these areas, it is better to leave your rented car at a parking area, and take public transport to the attractions you wish to visit. Always follow the road rules in France, and remain within the speed limits, which are 50 km/h or 30 mph in urban areas, 90 km/h or 55 mph on open roads and 110 km/h or 70 mph on highways and motorways. All passengers should wear seatbelts, and the driver is not permitted to use a cellular phone while on the road.

Your chosen Nantes Airport car Hire Company will be able to provide all further details regarding their vehicles at this rental location.