Car hire Saint Denis

Cheap Car Hire Saint Denis

About Car Hire in Saint-Denis

Saint-Denis, the capital of the French island of Réunion, is one of the most picturesque capitals in the world, and it’s easy to see why so many tourists flock to the island’s capital every year.

Exploring Saint-Denis is very easy when you hire a car – not only does it make getting around easy, but it allows you to see the hidden gems of the island further afield from just the city.

How to Drive in Saint-Denis

There are several rules of the road which must be adhered to when it comes to driving in and around Saint-Denis, and you should take the time to familiarise yourself with them now before driving off in your hire car:

• Drive on the right and overtake on the left. This is the same as most of the rest of Europe and the US, but opposite to the UK.
• Using a mobile phone while driving is strictly off-limits.
• Speed limit signs are displayed in km/h (kilometres per hour), not mph (miles per hour).
• Seatbelts are mandatory for all occupants of the vehicle.
• Drivers under 25 years old are likely to be charged a young driver surcharge, but this is at individual companies’ discretion.

What to see in Saint-Denis

Rue de Paris is an iconic street in Saint-Denis with notable architecture and beautiful surroundings.

Near the city is the Parc du Colorado, which is perfect for nature lovers, filled with various hiking trails as well as native wildlife – make sure to bring some binoculars!

The Jardin de l’État combines the best of both worlds – a beautiful botanical garden, and also on the same site is the island’s Museum of Natural History.

And speaking of museums, the Musée Léon-Dierx is the first French museum of fine arts to be built overseas, and offers a good insight into Réunion and Saint-Denis’ French culture.

Best road trips from Saint-Denis city

A road trip to Piton des Neiges is a must. It is the highest point on Réunion – and has sometimes been called the highest point in the Indian Ocean – and it can be reached in around two hours by car. It stands at an impressive 3,069m above sea level.

Saint-Phillipe at the southern tip of the island can be reached in about two hours from Saint-Denis.

A good idea for a road trip is to drive the perimeter of the island, so starting from Saint-Denis and returning there, either clockwise or anticlockwise around the island. This way, you get to see the whole coast of the island, and it only takes around four hours in total.

Range of Car Types in Saint-Denis

Despite the island’s small size, there are lots of cars available for hire from Saint-Denis. These range from small and compact vehicles, which are perfect for solo travellers or couples, to larger, more family-sized and family-friendly vehicles. For example, some of the smaller cars which are available to hire from Saint-Denis include the Peugeot 108, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Polo. Larger cars which can be hired include the Dacia Lodgy, Hyundai Kona and Renault Captur. The majority of the models are available in either automatic or manual transmission, and some of the vehicles are electric.

Car Hire Suppliers in Saint-Denis

There are lots of car hire suppliers in Saint-Denis, ranging from big global brands to local suppliers. However, some of the most well-known car hire suppliers in Saint-Denis include Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Keddy, Thrifty and Sixt.