Compare Nantes Airport car hire

Nestled along France’s Loire River, Nantes is a top destination for a city break. It’s also the perfect launching pad from which to explore the beautiful vineyards, historic chateaux and windswept beaches of the wider Loire Atlantique region.

For the freedom to travel whenever and wherever you want, without having to navigate public transport, add a hire car to your holiday package. You can pick one up from either the city centre or directly from Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE).

If you don’t need a hire car in Nantes from day one of your trip but would like to rent a vehicle at some point during your stay, you can rest easy – the city is home to several local and well-known car hire companies.

Many of them are just a short walk from Nantes central train station. The more familiar brands include the following:

• Avis: +33 820 611 675
• Enterprise: +33 240 082 837
• Hertz: +33 820 031 800
• National: +33 240 082 837
• Sixt: +33 170 976 111

The city centre is very well connected, making it easy to venture into the Loire-Atlantique region. Just join the N844 and E3 ring roads that circle Nantes. They will link you to the A11 autoroute to Paris and the A83 autoroute to Niort.

The N137, north of Nantes, leads to Brittany and Normandy. Opt for rural roads from Nantes to drive through picturesque Loire villages.

If you’re flying into Nantes Atlantique Airport (NTE), you can pick up a hire car shortly after landing – handy if you need a car from the get-go.

The car hire desks are easy to find. Just follow the signs for the car rental centre, which is across the road from the terminal. It’s a short walk away.

The car hire providers at the airport include:

• Enterprise: +33 240 481 400
• Hertz: +33 820 031 800
• Europcar: +33 240 840 139
• Avis / Budget: +33 821 230 760 / +33 825 003 564

From the airport, it's a 20- to 30-minute drive to the city centre along the N844 and the D723, depending on traffic. The N844 ring road also connects you to major routes like the A11 to Angers and Paris, and the N165 to coastal destinations La Baule and Vannes.

In France, motorists drive on the right-hand side of the road, and give way to vehicles approaching from the right, unless signs show otherwise. It’s also worth noting that traffic already on a roundabout has the right of way.

Street parking in Nantes city centre can be tricky, but there are several multi-storey car parks in the centre, as well as park-and-ride facilities on the outskirts. Watch out for bus lanes that are reserved for buses, taxis and bicycles.

Although Nantes currently doesn’t have a clean air zone requiring a Crit’Air windscreen sticker, it’s a good idea to check with your car hire company. You may need a sticker if you’re travelling to other parts of France.

Speed limits in Nantes are 50km/h (31 mph) in urban areas, 80km/h (50 mph) on rural roads, and 130km/h (81 mph) on motorways, although this drops to 110km/h (68mph) in poor weather.

There are toll motorways in France, too. In most cases, you’ll be given a ticket when you enter a toll area, and will need to pay for your journey when exiting. It’s worthwhile having cash on you for this, although cards are accepted.

• Min. age required to hire a car: 21 is typical but some providers will hire cars out to younger drivers (confirm before you book)
• Which side of the road: Right
• Credit card requirements: Major credit and debit cards are accepted

Any additional requirements: You must have held your licence for at least 12 months