We make car rental easy, because we know you can’t wait to feel the freedom of the road and get the very most out of your stay. Wherever your travels take you, the keys are waiting for you to unlock the world.

Bordeaux Saint-Jean Train station is a 10 minutes drive from the centre of Bordeaux. Avis have other offices across Bordeaux at Bordeaux Gutenberg, Bordeaux Mérignac Airport and Bordeaux Roullet.

Welcome to the heart of the famous winemaking region, but that’s not all. Bordeaux has much more to offer adventurers looking for a journey packed with cultural revelation. From contemporary art museums and Gothic cathedrals, to delightful boulevards and picturesque public gardens, the port city offers a wealth of unforgettable sights – within and beyond its monumental centre. Explore Bordeaux and its stunning surrounds with a car hired from Bordeaux Saint Jean Train Station.

You can drive into central Bordeaux in 10 minutes and there’s a lot to see and do in this now classified World Heritage Site. Renowned for being in the wine growing region, a tour around Bordeaux’s vast vineyards is a must.

A renowned wine growing region, a tour around Bordeaux’s vast vineyards is a must. Bordeaux has about 10,000 wine-producing châteaux and produces some of the most expensive wines in the world. Many vineyards have onsite restaurants serving up classic French fare. Look out for the exquisite L’Atelier de Candale, where you can sit outside and take in the views of the verdant landscape.

If you want to learn even more about winemaking in the region, be sure to visit the Musée du Vin et du Négoce, a quaint museum that details the history of the local wine trade.

Bordeaux also has a burgeoning arts culture, most evident on a visit to Musée des Beaux-Arts with its impressive displays of Renaissance to mid- twentieth century art. If your tastes are more contemporary, visit the CAPC, the modern art museum in the city. Before leaving, dress up for the evening and enjoy opera at the Grand Theatre de Bordeaux, which has been staging operas and ballets since the 18th century.

There are many intriguing things to see and do around Bordeaux. Where to begin? Handily, all of these places can be reached within two hours’ drive with a rental car from Bordeaux Saint Jean Train Station.

Arcachon

Drive just an hour west of Bordeaux and you’ll reach the pretty coastal town of Arcachon. Its popular sandy beach, Plage d'Arcachon, is blessed with calm waters – ideal for family day trips. It’s here you’ll also find the largest sand dune in Europe. If you’re feeling energetic, climb the stairs to its side and reach its 107-metre peak where you can admire stunning ocean views. Complete your trip with a visit to Compagnie des Glaces, the best ice cream parlour in town selling every imaginable flavour.

Cap Ferret

Also on the west coast and worth exploring is Cap Ferret, a popular seaside spot just an hour or so down the road from Bordeaux. This is not a place to visit museums, but to experience real French coastal life. Take a break from the wheel and relax on the headland’s golden sand. Cap Ferret is also the oyster farming capital of France, so it’s well worth sampling the fresh oysters available in a number of the town’s restaurants.

These coastal treasures are yours to discover with an Avis car hired from Bordeaux Saint Jean Train Station. Collect the keys and away you go.

Which side of the road?
In France, please drive on the right side of the road.

Country driving laws

• Mobile phones may only be used with a hands-free device. Do not use headphones or earpieces
• In towns and rural areas, on minor roads and where there is no clear indication of right of way, it may be prudent to give way to traffic coming from the right (“priorité a droite”)
• Bus lanes are reserved exclusively for buses, taxis and bicycles
• It is recommended that drivers use dipped headlights at all times

Speed limits

All speed signs will be in km/h.

For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailer:

• Urban areas: 50 km/h (31 mph)
• Rural areas: 80 km/h (50 mph)
• 4-lane expressways (rural areas): 110 km/h (68 mph)
• Motorways: 130 km/h (80 mph)

Unless indicated by road signs.  Be aware of changes to speed limits displayed on road signs due to adverse weather conditions.

Child safety / Seatbelt laws

• It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt
• Children aged under 10 and weighing less than 36kg must be seated in appropriate child restraint
• Children weighing up to 9 kg must travel in a rear-facing car seat, in the back of the car only

Please note - It is the child’s parent / guardian or vehicle renter’s responsibility to fit the child seat.

This road rules information is for provided for general guidance only. We endeavour to keep the information up to date and accurate, but any reliance you place on this information is at your own risk.