Your Complete Car Rental Guide for Exploring Grenoble with Ease
The city got its name from its location in the southeast of France. It is surrounded by mountains on all sides and is located in a picturesque region where there is something to see at any time of the year.
The history of the city has more than 2000 years. The first written mention of Grenoble appeared in the second century AD. The city at that time was a Roman colony, like many other settlements in the area. Grenoble became the center of the historical Dauphine region and served as its capital. And only in the middle of the 14th century the city became part of the French kingdom. The inhabitants of this region are known for their freedom-loving character. In 1788, the townspeople revolted against the arbitrariness of the Louis XVI army, which was temporarily in the city. Since the locals did not have any weapons, they used tiles, throwing them at the soldiers. This day went down in history as Tiling Day.
The main attractions of Grenoble
The city is located on the border with Italy. You can get to it by plane. The nearest airport is Grenoble Alpe Isère, located 40 km from the city. You can get from it to Grenoble by a rented car or by public transport. It is more convenient, of course, the first option, but it is recommended to rent a car in advance. This can be done at Bookingautos.
The city has many attractions and beautiful places. In addition, from time to time various events are held here - fairs and festivals. To keep up to date and not miss something interesting during your visit to Grenoble, follow the news on the site Grenoble.fr.
Start your sightseeing with Grenoble Museum, which is a huge collection of paintings by the most famous artists from From the Middle Ages to the present day.
After the Museum, it is worth seeing the famous Bastille, a fortress located on top of a hill, which offers amazing views of the city and mountains surrounding it. This fortress used to be a prison, but now it houses a military museum.
The top of the hill can be reached using a funicular, which in itself gives a unique opportunity to see Grenoble from a bird's eye view.
If you plan to come to Grenoble for Christmas, you can look at the city from a completely different perspective. On its main squares, festive fairs are traditionally held at this time, which includes a lot of music, dances, various goodies and theatrical performances. Events are held on a particularly large scale in Place Victor Hugo.
Where to go near Grenoble?
Not far from Grenoble is Lyon, which has something to see for tourists:
Confluence Museum. This is a museum of natural sciences and history. The museum building itself is unique. Definitely worth seeing;
Place Bellecour. The largest square in the city, which is surrounded by historical buildings of the 19th century. Here you can also see the equestrian statue of Louis XIV;
Cinema and Art Museum. Lyon is famous for being where the Lumiere brothers filmed their first film.
For those who love skiing, there is a good ski resort 25 km from Grenoble l'Alpe d'Huez.
Local cuisine and restaurants of Grenoble
In the city there are both fashionable restaurants of local cuisine, where you need to book a table in advance, and simpler and cheaper places, which, however, is not makes the dishes served in them less tasty. There are several well-known cheese factories in the vicinity of the city, so it is believed that in Grenoble you can taste the most delicious cheeses. The local cuisine is also famous for its pastries and desserts with the addition of walnuts. Peanut syrup and nut cream are especially popular with the French.
The best local restaurants in Grenoble according to tourists:
Une Semaine Sur Deux (3 rue Condorcet, +33 4 76 27 13 75).
Grenoble car parks
There are surface and underground car parks in Grenoble. Terrestrial differ from each other in color. In total there are three types of surface parking:
Green. Designed for long-term parking. They are paid from 9 am to 19:00. The price is 1 € for 1 hour. In the evening and at night, you can leave your car there for free;
Orange and purple parking lots are for temporary parking only (no more than 2 hours). Cost: €0.50 for 18 minutes, €1 for 35 minutes. At lunchtime (from 12:00 to 14:00) they have a 50% discount.
In street parking, you can leave your car for free only at night or on weekends, but there are also such which are paid around the clock. Therefore, the rules of each parking lot need to be known in advance. Cheap parking addresses in Grenoble: Arlequin - 40 Rue Des Trembles (+33 806 000 115), La Caserne de Bonne - 15 Rue Marceau (+33 1 53 70 56 56).
Good to know
Most Popular Agency
Budget
Most popular car class
Compact
Average price
32 € / Day
Best price
23 € / Day
How the price changes depending on the month
January
€193
February
€211
March
€237
April
€293
May
€289
June
€308
July
€289
August
€213
September
€156
October
€134
November
€105
December
€181
* Data is calculated based on car bookings for the previous 365 days.
The best month to rent a car in Grenoble is November. There are fewer tourists and a lot of available cars. You can book a compact class model at a price from €21. This is 31% cheaper than the average during the year.
The best time to rent a car in Grenoble is November. This month, rental prices are minimal, below the annual average by 34%, and start from €21 for a Compact car.
In the summer, you should be prepared for an increase in the cost of rent. Price growth can be about 30-50% with a simultaneous reduction in the range of available offers. For example, the average price during July for Skoda Superb starts from €59per day.
Bookingautos offers a wide range of cars of any class. In Grenoble you can rent a convertible, SUV, sedan, minivan, as well as a business class car. Our rental fleet consists of new cars manufactured in 2024 year.
The cost of renting a car in Grenoble depends on the car class, rental period, as well as the season of the year. For long-term rentals, rental companies provide good discounts. During the high season, in the summer months, the rental price is much higher than in winter. For example, a daily rental of Opel Astra or another budget car in the spring will cost about €21 per day. If you decide to rent this car for a week, then for each day you will have to pay about €17. The daily rental of middle-class cars, Skoda Superb, Fiat Tipo Estate, BMW X1 will be on average €55-€66. In Grenoble convertible rental price starts from €87. Luxury cars can be rented for €276, and the cost of renting the most expensive, exclusive models can exceed 550€ per day.
Recently, in Grenoble has seen a rise in demand for electric car rentals. They do not pollute nature and save money. The city has free parking and cheap charging stations. To rent an electric car in Grenoble, select the appropriate filter in the car search and fill in the dates you need. The best option could be Hyundai Ioniq.
Documents needed to rent a car
Driving license
Credit card
Voucher
Passport
Attention!
A valid international driver's license is required!
10 Smart Tips to Make the Most of Your Car Rental
Download desired area of Google maps for offline access
All modern smartphones have a GPS function. You can save on the "Navigator" service and roaming charges for the Internet if you download maps in the Google Maps application in advance. Offline maps also support route building and navigation. To download a map - open the area you need by controlling the scale, and enter "ok maps" in the search.
Early Booking Discount
Grenoble is a popular holiday destination and the car rental service is in great demand here. Therefore, it is recommended to book a car in advance. When booking online, you know exactly which car, for what price and under what conditions you will get in Grenoble. The main advantage of early booking is the cost savings. The less time left before the start of the rental, the higher the cost of the rental becomes. The optimal period for booking in rental companies is 6 weeks before receiving the car. If you book early, two days before receiving the car, you can cancel the order without any penalties.
Which car to choose for rent
Tourists who expect to drive only around the city and its immediate surroundings prefer to rent compact cars, Ford Ka or Opel Astra. For trips to the mountains, you need a car with increased power. You should go on such a trip with a full tank, as fuel consumption in the mountains increases one and a half to two times. An all-wheel drive crossover would be the ideal car for this. Renting Fiat Tipo Estate in Grenoble will cost €59 per day.
What you need to pay attention to at the time of receiving a car
Before picking up, you are required to carefully inspect the car and point out to the rental company manager for scratches, damage and defects, such as dirty seat upholstery. You should check the ignition and the fuel level in the tank. You need to know the conditions for returning the car - where exactly, with what amount of fuel to return the car.
The rental agreement must include a telephone number to contact the rental company. It is designed so that customers can get help in emergency situations, such as when a car breaks down or in the event of an accident. A call to the rental company should be done first, even before the arrival of the police.
Insurance advice
When you pick up your rental car, you need to take it seriously. This is especially true if you do not intend to purchase additional insurance. You should carefully inspect the received car and fix all scratches, dents, and other defects in the contract. It is also recommended to take a picture of the existing damage to the car, its number, write down the name of the rental company employee.
What types of insurance are available for car rental?
Third Party Liability (TPL). This is a third party liability protection. If you are the culprit of an accident, the insurance will compensate for the costs of the victims for you.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). This is to protect your vehicle from any damage. She works with a franchise. This is the amount that you will have to pay in case of damage in any case. The company will cover anything over the limit. The insurance does not cover theft.
Theft Waiver (T.W.). This is car theft protection. Operates with a franchise.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI). This is medical insurance for the driver and passengers.
Fuel Policy
For trips over long distances, it is better to choose the option with the already included payment for a full tank. If you have a short trip, then this service is inappropriate. Be sure to read the fuel policy before making a booking:
If necessary, use the special filter to select the most convenient option for you.
Unlimited mileage
The rental company may set a daily mileage limit. You will have to pay extra for exceeding the limit. Please check this condition before booking. It is possible that a more expensive rental option will turn out to be more profitable in the end: it will not require any additional expenses. To filter cars with unlimited mileage - use the "Mileage" filter in the search results.
Compare conditions of different rental companies
When choosing a rental car in Grenoble, you should carefully read all the terms of the rental. This is due to the fact that different companies may differ not only in rental prices, but also in conditions for limiting mileage, the cost of additional services, and the amount of the deposit. To compare rental conditions, it is convenient to use the search and booking system on our website.
How to choose a rental company
When renting a car in Grenoble, you should carefully read all the conditions offered by the rental company. Depending on the specific company, they may differ in mileage, insurance coverage, deposit amount, accompanying services and their cost. You should choose proven and reliable companies that offer new cars and stand out due to the well-thought-out organization of work with customers. Additionally, you can study the rating of distributors, which is also available on our website.
If we talk about the best companies in Grenoble, then it is worth highlighting sixt with a rating 9.8 and budget, the average rating of which is 9.7 points.
Getting a car at a rental office
Getting a rented car in Grenoble is as follows: You show the manager a voucher, as well as the necessary documents - a passport and an international driver's license. The manager draws up a lease agreement, after which the agreed amount of the security deposit will be blocked on your bank card. Before receiving the car, it is necessary to inspect it, fix the existing damage and inform the manager about them.
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Car rental reviews: Grenoble
Based on 8255 reviews
Rate 4,8/5
Based on 8255 reviews
Tony
4,8
Without a doubt, I will continue to use Bookingautos on a regular basis. Thank you very much for your assistance!
Michael
4,7
Excellent value for money. The pick-up process was a little confusing, but I would use it again!
Luna
4,5
The search was very simple to use, the price was really low, and there were no problems with the rental car company.
Jody
4,9
Everything proceeded as expected. The complete coverage compensation really worked.
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