Car hire at Bordeaux Mérignac Airport
We make car rental easy, because we know you can’t wait to feel the freedom of the road and get the very most out of your stay. Wherever your travels take you, the keys are waiting for you to unlock the world.The Avis car hire desk can be found in the A-B connecting wing of the airport.
Popular car hire locations in Bordeaux
Plan your trip from Bordeaux Mérignac Airport
Once you've picked up your Avis hire car, the drive from Bordeaux Mérignac airport into central Bordeaux takes about 30 minutes via the A630 autoroute.The historic city of Bordeaux is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with 347 buidings listed as historic monuments. In the centre of the city you’ll find examples of Bordeaux’s Roman heritage at Musée D'Aquitaine.
The area of Pey Berland, contains three Unesco-listed monuments: the Pey Berland tower, which offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city, the Rohan palace, which serves as the town hall, and the grand Gothic Saint André cathedral, where Eleanor of Aquitaine married the future Louis VII when she was 13 years old. The Cathedral is home to the Marcadé collection, which includes forty-two illuminated medieval manuscripts, as well as paintings, sculptures, vestments and silver objects.
To the north of the centre, is the Chartrons, formerly the wine merchants’ district and now known for its antique dealers, second-hand shops and designer stores.
And when its time for a pit stop, the Saint-Pierre district is an epicurean paradise with its narrow pedestrian streets filled with restaurants.
Road trips from Bordeaux
Drive from Bordeaux to Biarritz and explore France’s surf coast along the way. Stop off and at the Landes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park, where you can hike or horse ride along forest tracks and canoe or kayak on the River Leyre.Biarritz
This stylish seaside town offers stunning beaches, surfing and nightlife. It has been a vacation destination for royalty in the past, and has become a prime destination for surfers from around the world, hosting annual international tournaments.
A renowned wine growing region, a tour around Bordeaux’s vast vineyards is a must. Bordeaux has about 10,000 wine-producing châteaux and produces some of the most expensive wines in the world.
Saint Emilion
The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saint Emilion is around an hour’s drive from Bordeaux. It is a pretty medieval village in the midst of the famous Bordeaux vineyards. The view from the top of Saint-Emilion Church offers a spectacular view if you have the energy to climb the 196 steps to the top. Other sights incude the well preserved Cordeliers Cloister, the remains of a 14th century monastery.
Arcachon
The coastal town of Arcachon is less than an hour by car from Bordeaux, so it's a popular weekend destination for people from the city. The main attractions are the sandy beaches that stretch for miles. In Arcachon Bay you can see Europe's largest sand dune, the Dune du Pilat, nearly 3 kilometres long, 500 metres wide, and reaching 110 metres in height.
Driving rules in France
Which side of the road?
In France, please drive on the right side of the road.
Country driving laws
- Mobile phones may only be used with a hands-free device. Do not use headphones or earpieces
- Bus lanes are reserved exclusively for buses, taxis and bicycles
- In towns and rural areas, on minor roads and where there is no clear indication of right of way, it may be prudent to give way to traffic coming from the right (“priorité a droite”)
- It is recommended that drivers use dipped headlights at all times
Speed limits
All speed signs will be in km/h.
For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailer:
- Urban areas: 50 km/h (31 mph)
- 4-lane expressways (rural areas): 110 km/h (68 mph)
- Rural areas: 80 km/h (50 mph)
- Motorways: 130 km/h (80 mph)
Unless indicated by road signs.
Be aware of changes to speed limits displayed on road signs due to adverse weather conditions
Child safety / Seatbelt laws
- It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt
- Children weighing up to 9 kg must travel in a rear-facing car seat, in the back of the car only
- Children aged under 10 and weighing less than 36kg must be seated in appropriate child restraint
Please note - It is the child’s parent / guardian or vehicle renter’s responsibility to fit the child seat.
This road rules information is for provided for general guidance only. We endeavour to keep the information up to date and accurate, but any reliance you place on this information is at your own risk.