Car Rentals at St Etienne Airport

Saint-Etienne Airport is located nearby the town of Andrézieux-Bouthéon, just 12km, or 7 miles from the city of Saint-Etienne. It is therefore commonly known as the Bouthéon Airport, and is also recognised by its official airport code of EBU. The Saint-Etienne-Bouthéon Airport is small, with only around 70,000 passengers per annum, but provides an important gateway to many of the attractions in the Loire department of France. It is also located less than an hour’s drive from the popular city of Lyon, and is the sister airport of Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport. The Saint-Etienne Airport car hire companies offer vehicles which are ideal for travelling the area, and competitive car rental rates for all their airport customers.

Arriving passengers will simply disembark from the airplane and walk the short distance to the terminal building, collect their baggage and be able to quickly move on to their chosen form of transport. There is a car park for passengers who have arrived at the airport in their own vehicle, shuttle bus services, taxi services and the Saint-Etienne Airport car rental companies. The terminal building of the airport is small and easy to navigate, and it should not take much time to be leaving for your hotel, residence or place of business. The car hire companies are found in the terminal building, and include Avis, Budget, Easycar, Europcar and Auto Europa. You should find these companies open at the time of your arrival flight, but they are not open twenty-four hours a day, and are mostly closed over weekends. The cars hired by the companies are parked nearby in a reserved car park, within easy walking distance of the terminal. Passengers of the airport will therefore not need to take a shuttle bus to the location of their rented car.

Although just a small airport, car hire can be in high demand, and there may not be vehicles available upon your arrival. It is therefore best to make an advanced reservation, that also includes any optional items of equipment required for your journey, for example, child seats, luggage racks or satellite navigation systems. These items add a few extra Euro to your rental, but are most often worthwhile. Keep in mind that the French road rules require all passengers in a vehicle to be wearing seatbelts. From the rental location of Saint-Etienne Airport, hand controls for disabled drivers may also be available, and are free of charge. They should, however, be reserved at least forty-eight hours prior to the collection of the vehicle. The airport, and the companies of Avis, Europcar, Budget, Auto Europa and Easycar, welcome disabled passengers, and have various facilities and services for their needs. Simply contact the airport or car hire company of your choice to find out further details.

A rented car from Saint-Etienne Airport will take you to all the places you want visit. There are many interesting towns and cities nearby, as the region (Rhône-Alpes) is known to be the second most popular area for tourism in France. Saint-Etienne is just a fifteen minute drive from the airport, and the larger city of Lyon is found 64km to the north-east. Lyon is easily reached on the A47 Autoroute. Le Puy is about 65km away, and Grenoble is 83km from the airport. The Loire department features two national parks, and six regional natural parks, including the famous Parc Naturel Regional du Pilat and the Livradois-Forez. The Loire gorges are quite spectacular as well. If you do not wish to return to Saint-Etienne Airport, one way hire services can be arranged, allowing you to deliver your car to a different rental location of your chosen car hire company. Most companies also allow cross-border rentals, for customers who plan to travel further.

Vehicles available from the Saint-Etienne Airport car rental companies include the smaller Ford Ka Titanium, Opel Corsa, Citroen C3 and the Renault Twingo, and these cars are recommended for single drivers, couples or small families without too many luggage items. They are eco-friendly fuel-savers which are great for city driving or for longer distance travels. The cars usually come with manual transmissions and air conditioning, and often offer the best rental rates. Medium-sized vehicles may be similar to the Renault Laguna and Renault Scenic, and larger vans include the Renault Espace, Citroen C8, Opel Vivaro and Renault Traffic Combi. Larger cars such as these are more expensive to hire, and may not always be available. Passengers will also find luxury and premium vehicles at the car hire companies, and possibly SUVs and convertibles as well. Choose your car category carefully, ensuring that it will provide enough room for your passengers and luggage, but that it is also within your holiday or business budget.

At Saint-Etienne Airport, the primary renter will need to be at least 21 years of age to hire a car, and must show a valid drivers license upon collection of the vehicle. Drivers younger than 25 will pay higher rental rates, for young drivers insurance, and may not be permitted to hire certain vehicle categories. Most local driving licenses are accepted, but sometimes an International Driving Permit is required. This document should be acquired in your home country, before your departure to Saint-Etienne Airport. Make sure that you have a major credit card that is accepted by your car hire company for payment of the rental.

All further details are available from the Saint-Etienne Airport car rental company of your choice.