Recommendations for Marseille car hire

[IBloodyLoveMyBlanket]

Anyone hired a car from Marseille airport? I got great tips for car hire at Malaga from MN and Imm hoping for the same again!

frequently and I’ve had a few issues. I strongly suggest you get cover with Insurance 4CarHire. I’d avoid Firefly but tbh there’s not much between them. Do check that you’re picking up from the airport. I think Gold is offsite. And do take plenty of photos of the car when you pick up. Good luck!

Oh lord, this sounds worrying. That insurance, is that basically insuring your excess, or is there more to it than that?

I’ve hired a car at Marseille airport most years for the last 20 years- my grandparents use to live there. I use Thrifty, and don’t take out their insurance ( too expensive) but insure with a specialist insurer such as Eversure before I pick the car up I take pics all around the car before I drive out. On the way back you have to return it with a full tank, there is a petrol station just inside the airport. It’s always been ok.

Thanks. Do you mean you don’t take out any insurance at all, except for Eversure? Or you take their standard cover then insure the excess separately?

Hired from there loads of times. Mostly Hertz in recent times because DH had some preferred status with them but have also used Avis and Sixt. All the big car rentals are in the car park in front of the terminal so it’s easy. I just go with whatever well known company is cheapest for the car type I want. Don’t forget about the extra insurance either through the rental co themselves or a third party! Never had any issues, even when DH backed a brand new luxury convertible (free upgrade courtesy of Sixt) into a fence post… 🙄

I honestly can’t remember, maybe the basic with Thrifty or Sixt then the full Monty with Eversure.

I refuse all extra insurance and just have Insurance4carhire cover. It’s been invaluable.

Thanks everyone, I've hired through a known company and I'll be doing the Insurance4CarHire cover or similar.

Now, any suggestions of nice things to see and do? We're about halfway between Aix and Avignon.

Where to begin?? Don’t ignore Marseilles and the old port (at least look out the window as you fly in!). And if you go there be sure to go up to Notre Dame de la Garde.

the calanques near Cassis.
Aix (an amazing town)
the villages in the Luberon. Bonnieux Gordes etc.
Mont Ventoux

Its been a while since I was in that area… prob best to concentrate on things that are truly local to where you are despite what I’ve said!

I live the other side of Avignon,
the Pont du Gard is worth a detour.

Key question is when are you going?

We're going end June into July. We tend to like something historical/architectural to potter round before returning to the villa and the pool. Just spotted we'll just miss both the Avignon Festival and the Aix en Provence Festival, but hopefully we can find something else, a performance of some kind maybe?

Not that bothered about going to the beach, it always seems much more of a faff than a pool.