[movingtofrance33]

Dear friends,

My partner and I are moving to France and will be living there for 9+ months in a house we have rented about 15 minutes from Bergerac in Dordogne. We will be moving there in September. We are both from Denmark.

I need to find a solution for transport as our house is somewhat in the countryside. I don't have big finances at the moment, so Looking for the cheapest, but also most reliable solutions. For example I am open to paying a bit more for a rental, if it means I will have a new car, and that I won't be responsible for paying for repairs etc. as I would be if I bought an older car.


I have looked at the regular rentals, which are of course simply too expensive for such a long term stay.

1. I have heard about some special deals that you can get from the supermarkets, can any of you in the know please help me out with more information on this- especially if you know something about the specific current deals in the area I will be living in? I tried looking at some of their websites but had a hard time understanding the terms, even with google translate.

2. I have also considered purchasing a car, my limit would probably be around 500-1000 Euro for this (not including the card and insurance that I have to get). Is this a straightforward procedure, and would I be able to get a decent car (I don't care abou the size so much, as long as it can transport me back and forth) that won't cost hundreds in repairs for the budget I have?

3. Last but not least, I have considered purchasing a scooter that can transport me to Bergerac for my weekly shopping etc. I like this idea as it my be my cheapest option. Anyone have info on prices for a used scooter (under 125cc so I won't need to get extra drivers license) and also whether this will be a reliable solution in the winter months in the area of Dordogne where I will be living?


Thank you so much for your answers, Highly, highly appreciated...

 

[Bevdeforges]

Welcome to the forum - and welcome to France, too.

The "special deals" through the supermarkets are probably primarily for short term rentals. I know the SuperU near me does vehicle rentals and at the beginning you'd see a SuperU car in the parking lot waiting to be picked up. But mostly they rent small vans and trucks - usually for folks moving house at the weekend. I suspect the car rentals are generally for weekend trips for those who don't have a car.

As far as I know, you won't get much of a car here for 500 - 1000€. The registration process is fairly straightforward, but unless your French is pretty good we often advise folks to buy through a dealer because they'll handle all the registration for you. You may want to take a look at some of the used car websites online and see what's available in your price range.

The scooter is actually a pretty good idea - but I think there is a special license required these days even for scooters under 125ccm. More information here: https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F2832 I don't know much about motorcycles and scooters, but winter could pose something of a challenge, depending on just where you are.
Cheers,
Bev

 

[Crabtree]

Your best bet would be" louer à longue durée pour particulier" known as LLD If you google this term you will find various options Basically you will be hiring the car for a set period it will be insured maintained and have breakdown cover.You will then pay so much a month depending on the KM used and you then you return the vehicle at the end of the rental period One tip is to overestimate your kilometrage as you will pay extra if you go over the agreed kms I am sure they have something similar in Denmark.
I used this comparateur www.locationlonguedurée.com and found a Kia Picanto starting at €133 per month if that helps

 

[cirrus]

One thing to watch with rentals is Collision Damage Waiver.
Most companies say that it is included but reading the small print will reveal an excess or deductible of around 1500€, maybe much more.
Taking out very expensive ‘super cover’ can reduce that to zero but most experienced renters take out their own policies.

Buying used cars in France is expensive

 

[softouch115]

There must be some scooters that don't require a license, because I have two co-workers that use scooters as transport and don't have any kind of French license. I can find out more about this from them.

 

[cirrus]

There must be some scooters that don't require a license, because I have two co-workers that use scooters as transport and don't have any kind of French license. I can find out more about this from them.

Mobylette are I think but if you want a roof and 4 wheels there is always the lawnmower engine powered Voiturette

 

[Bellthorpe]

There must be some scooters that don't require a license, because I have two co-workers that use scooters as transport and don't have any kind of French license. I can find out more about this from them.

I certainly hope not.

The thought of unlicensed motorised vehicles on the roadways is very worrying.

 

[Bevdeforges]

Read 'em and weep: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voiture_sans_permis
Cheers,
Bev