Rental Car in Le Havre

[WisRiver]

We will be stopping in Le Havre on October 22 on the Rotterdam transatlantic.  We want to rent a car for a DIY tour of the area.  There is an Enterprise office on Quai Southhampton.  Are there rental car offices closer to or in the cruise terminal?  

[Hlitner]

Perhaps!  I say this because I cannot be sure whether COVID has caused a change.  But, prior to COVID, there has long been a single company with a desk right at the cruise port/terminal.  They are part of the rentacar.fr family although it has not always been easy to find this location on their web site.  The current site does show a location at the "Le Havre Terminal Croisiere" which would be the proper location.  But I would suggest trying to contact them via e-mail to verify that they will still be servicing this location.  If you do rent from them make sure to check on how their insurance works since, many years ago, we were not happy with their options.  But like most things this has likely changed.

 

As to the Quai Southampton location you mentioned for Enterprise, it is a long hike from the port (we have done it) and is best left to folks who like long walks :).  In the past, that Enterprise office would not pick-up (or deliver) at the port but that also may have changed.  If you do find out that they will now pick-up/deliver please post that info here so others (including moi) will be aware of the option.

 

Hank

[McGarrett5oh]

On 9/2/2021 at 4:37 PM, Hlitner said:

As to the Quai Southampton location you mentioned for Enterprise, it is a long hike from the port (we have done it) and is best left to folks who like long walks :).

Hi Hank, 

I don't know if you'll get alerted to this reply 19 months later, but I'm wondering if you would know if one is able to drop off the rental car at the Enterprise office after it closes at 6pm.  Do they have a drop box and is that allowed?   Thank you.

McGarrett

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, McGarrett5oh said:

Hi Hank, 

I don't know if you'll get alerted to this reply 19 months later, but I'm wondering if you would know if one is able to drop off the rental car at the Enterprise office after it closes at 6pm.  Do they have a drop box and is that allowed?   Thank you.

McGarrett

Have no clue.  So much has changed, post COVID, that it is wise to check with individual rental car offices

[Hlitner]

I other thought is to check out Rentacar.fr

They may still have a rental location right at the port, which is very convenient.  We never used them in Le Harve because they used to demand renters buy their expensive insurance.  But that was over 5 years ago and things may have changed.

 

Hank

[McGarrett5oh]

Thanks for the reply Hank.  Yes, I've called Enterprise US-based customer service but all they say is you must return it by 6pm or the next day.  Funny, when I tell them I'm on a cruise ship the next day so I can't or "what if I have car trouble on the way back or run into traffic", all they say is "you must account for that in your travel plans".   No help!

 

I am contemplating calling the local Le Havre Enterprise office, but I don't speak French.   Perhaps I'll try and hope they speak English. Otherwise we'll have to ask when we pick up the car and adjust our plans accordingly.  We had hoped to go to Giverney AND the American Cemetary (500 km total round trip) since our ship doesn't depart until 11pm, we'd have time if we could return the car after 6.

 

Regarding Rentacar.fr, I've read nothing but bad things about them so I'd like to stick with Enterprise.

 

Anyway, thanks for the reply and your time.

 

McGarrett