We had some family vacations with the kid for Christmas, so we rented a Nissan Qashqai (medium SUV) from Avis at Charles De Gaulle airport. I think I have never had such a bad experience with a car rental company despite renting around one time a month in various countries in Europe:

• We had to wait in a queue for one hour to pick-up the car. There was no priority queue for Avis Preferred and only one agent on duty. He was obviously overworked by the sheer number of people having booked a car, some wit complicated requests or paperwork to process
• When came our turn, he asked us how many people we will be in the car (3), and asked whether I was happy to drive an automatic (which is not common in France). I said I was ok but prefer manual. He then proceeds to give us a Nissan Juke, which I didn't know was much smaller than a Qashqai.
• When we go pick up the car, we see we can't fit our things and the baby easily in the car, so I try to go back and get the car we originally booked but get to know "that's all what they have"
• When returning the car, despite this being during the normal opening time for Avis and not during a holiday, there was no agent to process the car, only a security guard who could barely speak French and explained to us we shall give the key downstairs. So I could not get the invoice on the spot
• When the invoice finally came, I got overcharged by around EUR 100 compared to my reservation and I don't even know why, it seems to be car category as we have not been charged for damages or extra distance.

So all in all, instead of being upgraded we have been downgraded in category and ended up paying more + a lot of minor additional inconveniences. I ave written to customer support to complain but also wanted to share the experience here. It's amazing how car rental can get away screwing their customers this way.

Out of curiosity, which terminal was it?
T1 and T3 are pretty bad, but T2 should be OK.
The Juke should be in J category, I'd fire up a complaint with Avis and CC for the extra chanrge

It was in T1, funny the attendant there to who I complained said the same thing as you. I should rent from T2.

Filed the complain with Avis, got so far apologizes and EUR 40 in vouchers, which is not enough, so I am still pursuing.

Yup, if you have to rent at CDG again, I'd definitely recommend to rent from T2, there are 2 offices there, one between 2E-F and the other between 2A-C, every single time I've rented or dropped from there the lines were virtually empty and I had no issues at all.
From T1 it's a free ride and a walk to CDG T2, not easy with a family but doable.
Other option would be to take the car, drive to T2 and explain the situation, they have way more inventory so easier to swap.
If you are doing it frequently and plan on traveling south or west of Paris, ORY is also MUCH better as you avoid Paris traffic.
If they refunded the difference in category AND offer the �40 vouchers, I'd take it, not worth wasting time on this.

Picked up recently from Avis CDG (T2) at the outbuilding with car park directly in front. Thought I�d share my experience here if it�s helpful for anyone.

There is a Preferred line, technically, but it is a single server queue and was stuck with a guy demanding a specific vehicle. I was helped immediately in the normal queue. Staff was very friendly.

I had reserved an �intermediate SUV.� My car and contract had been preassigned. A very beat up Ford Puma with scratches and dents and cloth seats was waiting for me � a bit of a stretch to call this an �intermediate SUV� but I always lower my standards when it comes to size in Europe. The car was as basic as it comes, and definitely not an upgrade of any kind. �This is the maximum upgrade category anyway,� explained the woman, but she promised to see what she could do.

She returned about 10 minutes later saying she found me a better car. She pulled out a Renault Megane sedan � asked if I�d prefer this, showing me the inside, etc. It wasn�t an SUV, but it was pretty new and decently spacious. Sure. �Ok, �50 upgrade.� Per day?! �Yes.� She must have seen the look of incredulity on my face. �50% off ok?� she offered. Uh, no. I�m not taking a downgrade from an SUV and paying for the privilege.

She made a few calls and finally turned up a MG EHS hybrid SUV about an hour of waiting later. It only has 1,500 kms on the odometer but was also pretty beat up on the outside with nasty gashes and dents. By this point we were ready to go � fine. Presidents Club status is obviously worthless here.

While we were waiting for the second car I walked through the Europcar, Sixt and Hertz parking lots. By and large, they had much nicer vehicles than Avis. Avis, for example, had no luxury brands � just MG, Renault, Nissan, VW (only a Golf) and Toyota (only a Corolla wagon). The other agencies had plenty of Mercedes, BMWs, Volvos, Teslas, and a mix of more standard brands that looked far less scratched and dented up than Avis. I�ll definitely favor one of the other agencies next time.

This seems to be the proper thread for renting at CDG. I am flying into CDG Terminal 2B and wondering which Avis location I should be using. There are three available: Paris Roissy Terminal 2 E F (CDG), Paris Roissy CDG Terminal 2E/F (X3C), and Paris Roissy Terminal 1 (X2C). I'm assuming I can use one of the first two -- I picked the one that is actually coded as CDG. How far in advance should I plan to return the car before my departing flight (also out of T2B)?

Booked a compact (Peugeot 2008 automatic or similar). Curious what I may actually receive. This will be my first non-US rental.

-J.

From what I can gather it has to be 2 E &F as the closest rental station has been closed until 2026 for God alone knows what. It is in my experience that worst rental station in France, The complete indifference of the staff is beyond belief and matches that of Miami. Do you know how to drive a manual gear change - as they may or may not have an automatic. The Peugeot 2008 is not what I would call compact but then I am not American. I have no idea where you are headed but if you arrive before 10.00 - be prepared for some of the worst and most aggressive driving in arguably the worst traffic jams in Europe unless it is not during the working week. If you gave us some times of your arrival and departure I could perhaps help be more precise. I would love to help if I can,

Please let me assure you that France is wonderful. Paris is not France.

Thanks for the detailed response. The plan was to visit Reims and Epernay, but alas I never made it across the pond this time. Sounds like next time I should go for long enough where I can just take the train.

-J.

Now something tells me that you may be a Champagne man! Frankly the car is a good choice. What I would have advised you to do was to leave Roissy via Le Menil-Hamelot. and direct you to the Marne Valley where I spent a lot of my childhood. Still, since you are not able to come - we will leave it for now and I wish you a Happy Christmas.

Hi all,

I’m a Presidents Club member renting in Europe for the first time this September (Paris CDG, Terminal 2, Tuesday morning pickup). I’m currently booked into an Automatic Intermediate SUV (Renault Symbioz or similar).

A few questions I’d love insight on:

• Benefits/Upgrades: What can I realistically expect from Presidents Club at CDG? One of the next classes up is a BMW X3, which would be a fantastic upgrade if it’s possible.
• Car Selection/App: Am I correct in assuming the Avis app “Select Your Car” feature isn’t available in Europe?
• Advance Outreach: Is it worth asking the U.S. Presidents Club line to contact the CDG location ahead of time, or is that unlikely to help?
• Support: How useful has the U.S. Presidents Club line been if issues come up while renting in Europe?
• Tips/Advice: Any other advice for renting in France/Europe in general or strategies that work well at CDG specifically?

Apologies for all the questions, but any experiences, tips, or insights from fellow Presidents Club members renting in Europe would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks in advance!

I rented from CDG in April (apologies to PUCCI GALORE for not reaching out in advance, though I certainly will next time) and had booked my car a couple of days before departure. Having booked a compact automatic (Peugeot 2008 or similar), they upgraded me to a PHEV estate sedan which worked out really nicely. I think reaching out in advance would be overkill, and I didn't require any support so can't speak to that.

I had made a speculative booking the week prior and was assigned a 2024 BMX X2 sDrive20i M Sport (group L), though I never picked it up as I canceled my flight. Both of these are decent upgrades from what I booked. Keep in mind they do a relatively thorough damage inspection upon arrival; it turned out I (or someone) had curbed one of the wheels, but my rate included the LDW so I was never charged for it.

Unless you need the space of a SUV, I would encourage you to book the smallest vehicle feasible. Roads are generally narrow and street parking can be tight. There were several instances where I could not fit into parking spaces because I had such a huge car. I would 100% rent it again but this is just something to keep in mind. I was very glad not to have an SUV. Gas is also incredibly expensive and I was beyond grateful for the plug-in hybrid.

-J.

Thanks for the great advice! Unfortunately, I will be needing an SUV as I'm travelling with the family and we'll have some checked bags. I'm really hoping for the BMW X3 as its one of the car classes offered at this locations. Thanks for the suggestion about getting an EV, the only reason I was skeptical is because we'll be driving to the Loire Valley/Countryside (Tours, France ~283 KM each way) and my airbnb doesn't include EV charging, so I thought I might run into some range anxiety. A quick follow up question I had was at the counter, did they acknowledge your Presidents Club status/give you a lot of cars to pick from as a PC?

Unfortunately, my rate only includes CDW/LDW domestically and not internationally, but my AA credit card gives me coverage up to $75,000 as primary insurance internationally.

Also, just curious, how far in advance did they assign your X2 such that it was before you were even supposed to board your flight LOL

Thanks for all the help!

Just to clarify, I rented a hybrid and not an EV. I had trouble finding charging locations that were compatible with my vehicle.

They did not acknowledge PC status but I did use the preferred lane in the building. My status is so rarely acknowledged (mainly since I so rarely have to go to a desk) and it would not have made a difference either way. I suppose I could have asked for a different vehicle but I was fine with whatever they gave me. I was in and out in under five minutes and the agent did note I was assigned an upgrade when I asked him what a DS 9 is

The X2 was assigned an hour or two before my flight landed. I had forgotten to cancel the reservation since I missed the flight and went to bed, so when I woke up I had the email.

-J.