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| Citroen Leasing - France |
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Citroen Leasing 2010 Red Tag Sale !
Massive Reductions & 7 Free days on the C4 Picasso Range
9 Free days on the C4 Grand Picasso Range
9 Free days on the C5 Range
PLUS
50% Off European Collection & Return
on the C4 Picasso, Grand Picasso & C5 Range !
PLUS
Loyalty Bonus of 3 FREE Days for past Citroen customers since 2005
Valid for NEW bookings paid in full by 30th September 2010
Valid for collections between 01 January to 31 December 2010
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The cheapest way to use a car in France - Europe, for over 17 days, is normally the Tax Free car lease
leasing programme. Car Lease - Leasing is an ideal low cost alternative to car rental, particularly for long term use.
The longer you have the vehicle, the lower the rates become. It offers great flexibility with an extensive fleet from
which to choose. These include cars, station wagons, convertibles and people movers / minibuses.
Click here for more Citroen Leasing Information
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Drive Europe from AUD $31 per day
(based on 165 days)
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Citroën DriveEurope is one of the best-kept secrets. Lease your very own brand-new, TAX-FREE Citroën.
This leasing scheme offers a flexible, cost effective holiday package with an extensive fleet from which to choose All cars are French specification and include unlimited kilometres, comprehensive car insurance with no excess.
Now Australian and New Zealand residents can experience Europe in a brand new Citroën at there own pace, at a lower cost than car rental or Eurail particularly for long term use. The longer you have the vehicle, the lower the rates become. The extensive fleet includes cars, station wagons, convertibles and people movers/minibuses. Citroën DriveEurope is a French government initiative aimed at encouraging tourism to France.
It allows Citroën to lease new tax-free vehicles to non-French/ EU residents. The Vehicle is registered in your name and comes with 24 Hour Roadside Assistance, free of all duties and taxes, and includes full comprehensive insurance with Zero Excess and unlimited mileage. The minimum lease period is 17 days, with a maximum of 165 days (approx. 6 months). When you return the vehicle the responsibility ends right there... it''''s that easy. Because the Citroën you drive is actually yours - registered to you - it carries all the benefits of luxury car ownership.
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| *This is a free service from Google. We do not guarantee the accuracy of the conversion. |
To quote or book online click Quote/Book below:
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| 01 Jan 2010 to 31 Dec 2010 |
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17 Days plus 9 Free Days | 17 Days plus 7 Free Days | Additional Days |
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The “PACK” is the standard model vehicle
The “EXCLUSIVE” is the fully appointed vehicle and all come with GPS (excluding the EDMRD & EDARP)
All vehicles are equipped with ABS System, Airbags, Central Locking, Power Steering, Front Power Windows, Radio and CD Player,
Engine Immobiliser, Air Conditioning, Driver & Passenger Airbags, Side Airbags on all models except Berlingo, Jumpy and Jumper.
Accessories available on some models e.g. snow chains, baby seats etc.
Please Click here for Manual/Auto Gearbox information
Please note: Car information pages to be used as a general guide.
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Citroen Leasing Includes:
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A Brand New tax free Citroën.
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All vehicles equipped with Air conditioning, ABS System, Airbags, Anti theft, Central Locking, Electric Windows and Power Steering.
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Full Vehicle Insurance cover including third party liability and theft.
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Full factory warranty.
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Unlimited kilometres.
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24 hour Roadside Assistance.
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All vehicles with CD player.
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Minimum age is 21 years and must have held a valid driver's licence for 12 months. (no upper limit)
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No upper age limit. No Insurance excess.
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No extra driver charges. No airport supplements.
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Vehicles can be driven throughout Europe, including Britain & Ireland.
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Free pick up and return of vehicle within France.
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Please book well in advance
Registration papers must be filled out and returned to us at least six weeks prior to collection date of your car.
Additional time maybe required if you are collecting outside of France.
Who can Lease a Citroën:
In order to do a lease the main driver / additional driver must meet the following requirements:
- Client must live outside European Union.
- Client must be an Australian or a New Zealand Resident otherwise please contact us, for an alternative leasing product.
- Must be holidaying (Staying in Europe for less than 165 days in a period of 12 consecutive months)
- Must not be working overseas during their holiday.
Please Note: For last minute booking with vehicle delivery within 5 weeks or for clients departing Australia within two weeks of making the booking request an Express Postage charge of Approx $10 will apply to ensure all relevant documents are received and processed in due time.
FRANCE LOCATIONS
FREE Pick Up and Drop Off Locations |
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- Avignon TGV Station / Airport
- Anglet City
- Biarritz Airport
- Bordeaux Airport
- Brest Airport
- Calais Ferry & Hoverport
- Clermont - Ferrand City
- Geneva Airport
- Lyon Airport
- Marseille Airport
- Montpellier Airport
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- Mulhouse Airport
- Nantes Airport
- Nice Airport
- Paris Airports (ORLY & CDG)
- Paris City
- Pau Airport
- Perpignan City
- Rennes City
- Strasbourg Airport
- Toulouse Airport
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Please Note: Generally at an airport location you will be taken by a shuttle to take delivery of your Lease Vehicle. Lease vehicles are NOT held on the Airport awaiting for your collection. Deliveries within France must be booked at least 21 days in advance.
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Locations where a Fee is Payable - Europe
To collect or return your car outside of France, an additional fee applies
Valid for 2010 Season:
| LOCATIONS |
2010
ALL MODELS* |
LOCATIONS |
2010
ALL MODELS* |
| Amsterdam Airport |
$326 |
Madrid Airport |
$492 |
| Barcelona Airport |
$155 |
Milan Malpensa Airport |
$512 |
| Brussels Airport |
$233 |
Munich Airport |
$512 |
| Frankfurt Airport |
$373 |
Porto Airport |
$512 |
| Geneva Airport (French side) |
FREE |
Rome Fiumicino Airport |
$690 |
| Lisbon Airport |
$492 |
Zurich Airport |
$352
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*All fee Applies to all models. All fees are pre-paid in Australian Dollars
Please Note: Generally at an airport location you will be taken by a shuttle to take delivery of your Lease Vehicle. Lease vehicles are NOT held on the Airport awaiting for your collection. Deliveries outside France must be booked at least 30 days in advance.
Rates, additional charges and conditions are subject to change, and to
currency fluctuation, without notice - Errors and Omissions Excepted
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All items are being purchased by the customer, not rented
| C3 Confort |
$140
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$250
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$1050
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| C3 Exclusive |
$155
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$250
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$1050
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DS 3
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$155
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$1050
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| C3 Picasso |
$165 |
$316 |
$1070 |
| C4 Collection |
$170
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$310 |
$1020 |
C4 Exclusive
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$185
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$310
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$1020
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| C4 Picasso |
$170 |
$310 |
$1030 |
| C4 Grand Picasso |
$170 |
$300 |
$1030 |
| C5 Confort |
$300
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$310
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$1215
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C5 Exclusive
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$300 |
$310 |
$1215 |
| C5 Tourer |
$290 |
$310 |
$1215 |
| C6 Exclusive |
$180 |
$485 |
$1580 |
| C8 Airplay |
$160
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$980
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| Berlingo |
$170
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$1,055
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Please note: All items are being purchased by the customer, not rented.
All prices are prepaid and in Australian Dollars.
CHILD SEAT / BOOSTER SEAT:
Note: You can bring your own Child seat as long as it complies with the European Law.
Any child under the age of ten years of age needs to have a child seat.
A Baby seat is required from birth to 18kg (up to 4 years of age).
Booster seat with Back is required (4 years until 7 years - 15-25KG).
Booster seat without Back from 7 to ten years, 25-36 KG
Use Baby seat "back to the road" for child from birth to 10 kg (conform to european safety standards)
Use Baby seat "in front of the road" for child from 9 to 18 kg (conform to european safety standards)
Prices as follows:
Baby seat rear-facing for 0 - 9kg weight - $330
Baby seat road-facing for 9 - 36kg weight - $500
Booster seat with Back is required (4 years until 7 years - 15-25KG) - $185
Booster seat without Back from 7 to ten years, 25-36 KG - $75
LUGGAGE RACK / PODS:
These are available for all vehicles except the Berlingo, as follows:
Luggage Rack 1 (130x80x34, 280 Litres, 12kg) - $520
Luggage Rack 2 (150x82x34, 340 Litres, 19kg) - $640
Luggage Rack 3 (225x60x34, 370 Litres, 19.5kg) - $640
Luggage Rack 4 (225x82x34, 430 Litres, 19.5kg) - $940
SKI'S / SNOWBOARD:
Available for $195
THIRD TRAILER PLATE:
Available for $30
EMERGENCY KITS:
it is compulsory for all vehicles in France and Spain to carry a reflective jacket and breakdown triangle. Citroen customers can purchase an emergency kit consisting of these items upon arrival. Delivery centres at French airports, Geneva airport, Avignon station and Calais ferry offer the kit at the cost of 15 Euros. Other delivery centres offer the kit at 20 Euros. The kit may also be purchased at most service stations and supermarkets.
Rates, additional charges and conditions are subject to change, and to
currency fluctuation, without notice - Errors and Omissions Excepted
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Manual / Auto Gearbox
An electronically controlled manual gearbox, the Man/Auto features electronically managed clutch and gear-shift functions. As a result, the car has no clutch pedal and the gear lever —which remains present —has no mechanical link with the gearbox.
The Man/Auto gearbox is managed by a control unit, which controls two actuators. One actuator changes gears while the other, which is equipped with a facing wear compensation system, opens and closes the clutch. The gearbox control unit also dialogues with the engine control unit.
This sophisticated electronic management system takes into account all the parameters necessary for efficient gear-changing: gear lever, accelerator, brake, engine and gearbox rpm, vehicle speed, ABS, ESP, engine torque and temperature. In this way, when the gearbox control unit receives an order —in either operating mode —to change speeds, it briefly cuts off the engine’s powerflow, disengages the clutch, changes gears, engages the clutch and authorises power to be restored. These operations are sequenced as quickly as possible to minimise the break in acceleration.
The Man/Auto gearbox reaps the benefits of the experience acquired by PSA Peugeot Citroën with the auto-adaptive gearbox. To avoid changing gears too frequently, gear shifts are conducted at different speeds during acceleration and deceleration.
The technology of the Man/Auto gearbox brings improvements in many areas:
* Comfort : In automatic mode, the driver does not have to change gears: a major advantage in heavy traffic. In manual mode, the driver no longer has to take a hand off the wheel to select the gear required.
* Safety : Eyes on the road and hands on the wheel, the driver concentrates on the road ahead. A dashboard indicator shows the current gear-speed and mode of operation.
* Consumption : Automatic mode optimises gear shift management to bring savings of 0.2 l/100 km in a standard combined cycle.
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Back to start of Car Leasing Information
Citroën DriveEurope customers are eligible for a new tax free Citroën with temporary number plates for a minimum period of 17 days and a maximum of 165 days if they are:
1. Tourists, visitors and EU citizens who have resided outside the EU for more than 6 months and are not in receipt of income from EU revenue producing activities and plan to return to their residence outside the EU at the end of their stay.
2. Full time students attending colleges and universities in France can lease a vehicle from 90 days to 12 months.
3. Please note: For Australian and New Zealand residents only.
The minimum age to lease a new Citroën under this program is 21 years and must have held a full driver's licence for 12 months. There is no upper age limit to lease a vehicle in this program.
By French law, The person holding title to the contract (whose name is repeated on the vehicle registration certificate), their spouse, direct ascendants or descendants may drive the vehicle if they meet all the same conditions for obtaining temporary registration for transit. The contract holder must be in the E.U. during the use of the vehicle.
No other name can be added to the vehicle registration certificate or the insurance documents. The name mentioned there is that of the person who signed the order form. No other person may drive the vehicle other than those who fall into the critera above.
As a condition of providing a vehicle under the Citroën DriveEurope program, as a security measure, Citroën requires you to sign a draft to the order of Citroën Champ De Mars, which represents the difference between the total price of the delivered vehicle and the DriveEurope total. Bank details and the promissory note form part of the Citroën DriveEurope Contract.
At the end of the contract period the customer may return the vehicle to the destination nominated on the Contract unless you have followed the procedures to amend the drop off location. The Promissory Note is then void.
Final payment for your reservation, including the return of your Citroën DriveEurope Contract and personal documents, should be made 6 weeks prior to the date of pick-up in Europe and prior to your departure from Australia. Delays in picking up your vehicle could result should final payment and documents not be received within 6 weeks, or the reservation may be cancelled.
A non-refundable deposit of Australian $500 is required at the time of making your reservation.
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Citroen Car Leasing Cancellation Fees
Below rates are in Australian Dollars
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| Cancellations more than 31 days prior to pick up |
$300 + 20% of Booking |
| 31 - 15 days prior to pick up |
20% of Booking + Suppliers Fees |
| 14 - 0 days prior to pick up |
100% of Booking cost |
| No Show or early return |
100% of rental costs (no refund for unused services) |
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NO REFUNDS FOR EARLY RETURNS
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| Amendment Fee for each amendment |
$30 / $60 once documents are issued |
All amendments to a Citroën DriveEurope Contract must be made 4 weeks prior to the date of pick-up in Europe. A fee of Australian $30 is charged for these amendments, except where new documents are required. A re-issue fee of Australian $60 will apply. Please note: No changes are permitted to car type or pick-up point within 4 weeks of collection.
Citroen do not allow name changes to bookings. If a booking needs to be changed to a different name, you would have to cancel your original booking and rebooked. (cancellation fee's apply)
The Citroën DriveEurope Program is a tax-free sale with a buy-back agreement. Once you have paid for your lease, including any accessories and pick-up and drop-off costs where applicable, your only vehicle costs are fuel. Vehicles are delivered to you with 15 litres of petrol or 10 litres of diesel fuel. Tolls, Motorways and vehicle parking costs are not included.
It is important that you return all the keys, key code card and insurance and registration papers. A charge will apply to the contract holders at the time of the vehicle return if these items are not returned with the vehicle.
The driver(s) must have held a full Australian driver's licence and an International Driver's Licence for 12 months and it is recommended that all drivers have an International Driver's Licence. These must be presented as well as a valid passport and a copy of the contract to pick up the vehicle.
First service is at 15,000 / 20,000 kilometre service intervals for diesel / petrol powered vehicles which are the responsibility of the user of the vehicle. Tyre punctures and tyre and wheel damage or vandalism of any kind are at the leasee's expense.
All vehicles are supplied with standard tyres. Snow tyres are only available by private purchase. Tyre punctures and tyre and wheel damage or vandalism of any kind are at the leasee's expense.
Pick up and drop off of Citroen DriveEurope vehicles are free of cost within france. Charges are applicable to pick up and drop off of vehicles in other European cities. These costs are pre-paid.
A request for a contract extension should be made 10 days prior to the expiration date of the original contract with payment reaching Citroën Champ De Mars 5 days before the expiration date of the original contract.
It is necessary to advise Citroën Champ De Mars of a location to which extension insurance documents can be sent to you. If the extension payment is not made, the vehicle will only be insured for the initial contract period. Extensions are calculated on a daily rate according to Citroën Champ De Mars extension pricing, which is a higher daily rate than the published daily rate on the Citroën Australia price list.
Please check with Citroen DriveEurope to confirm the opening hours of pick up and drop off locations. Some locations require appointments 72 hours in advance if not arriving by a scheduled flight.
When ready to pick-up your Citroën vehicle you must have your valid passport, a full and valid driver's licence, an international driver's licence and the copy of the Citroën DriveEurope Contract to present to the Citroën DriveEurope staff.
All Citroën DriveEurope vehicles must be returned to the destination listed on the customer's Citroën Champ De Mars Contract and letter of confirmation or the booking agent confirmation. If delivered to another location additional charges will apply to the customer or the booking agent.
It is important to contact your return destination by telephone 48 hours in advance to advise of the return of the vehicle.The telephone number of your return destination is provided in your Citroën DriveEurope letter of confirmation.
Amendments to drop off location can only be arranged by contacting the Citroen office in Paris at least 72 hours prior to your return date. Some additional charges may apply and must be paid prior to the return of the vehicle.
A refund of unused days after the collection of the car is possible. A minimum of 36 days will be retained before a refund is considered. For students there is no refund under 90 days and if over 90 days, 30 days will be retained before a refund is considered. Please forward your request to Citroen DriveEurope or your agent.
An administration fee of AUD $50 will be applied to process all refund requests by Citroen DriveEurope subject to change on te refund issue. Travel insurance is recommended.
All Citroën DriveEurope vehicles are supplied as LEFT HAND DRIVE.
Not covered by insurance are punctured or damaged tyres, loss or non return of the vehicles keys, registration and insurance papers, incorrect fuel in fuel tank, repairs or work done to your vehicle unless authorised by Citroen Champ de Mars, personal effects, telephone calls, window glass and exterior mirrors.
Travel insurance is the responsibility of the customer.We recommend customers contact a travel agent or an insurance company to obtain travel insurance.
The insurance document for the Citroën DriveEurope vehicle will be issued at the time of pick-up of the vehicle.The vehicle is covered for full comprehensive insurance in the countries listed in the brochure. Please note that due to local conditions in Europe, insurance coverage for some countries is subject to change.
Please check with Citroën DriveEurope to ensure the insurance is valid for your destinations. Customers who travel in a country where the insurance is not valid do so at their own risk and shall assume full responsibility for any incidents during the course of their travels in those countries.
Roadside assistance may not be available in some countries where the vehicle insurance policy is in effect. Please contact us for more details.
Click here for the Citroen Assistance Guide (103 Kb - PDF)
All consumer claims must be lodged in writing within 30 days of the return of the Citroën DriveEurope vehicle. Claims will only be considered upon presentation of original invoices and receipts. Duplicates and photocopies will not be accepted when making a claim.
Only the General Manager, Citroen Champ De Mars in Paris can authorise consumer claims in Europe. verbal or Written advice from anyone other than the General Manager, Citroen Champ De Mars are not eligible for any claim.
Ateco Automotive Pty Limited trading as Citroën Australia and Citroën DriveEurope reserves the right to discontinue or change the models, features, specifications, options, designs and prices of the products referred to without incurring any liability whatsoever to any purchaser or prospective purchaser of any such products. Some of the items referred to are at extra cost. Consult Citroën DriveEurope for the latest information on models, specifications, features, prices, options and availability.
Ateco Automotive Pty Limited (hereafter referred to as The Company) issue all Leasing Contracts subject to the terms and conditions specified by the supplier. By accepting the Lease Contract and utilising the services, persons agree that neither The Company nor any of its representatives shall be liable to any person for any loss, injury or damage to such person or their belongings or otherwise in connection with the Lease Contract resulting directly or indirectly from any occurrences beyond its control including breakdown in equipment, strikes, theft, delay or cancellations or of changes in itinerary or schedules etc. Travel documents are the responsibility of the person taking the tour, as is compliance with Customs regulations.The Company reserves the right to deny a booking request. No employee of The Company or affiliated companies or representatives can change the terms under which any person agrees to take up any offer in this brochure.
We recommend that customers read the Terms and Conditions on the reverse side of their copy of the Citroën Champ De Mars Contract and the Assistance TT Brochure ( Click Here - 103 Kb PDF ).Those Terms and Conditions form part of the Citroën DriveEurope Terms and Conditions. An English translation of the terms and conditions on te contract are provided with each contract.
Of all tourist leasing operators Citroën DriveEurope offers the broadest range of countries where your comprehensive insurance applies.Vehicles can be driven throughout Western and Eastern Europe such as:
- Albania**
- Andorra
- Austria
- Belarus
- Belgium
- Bosnia-Herzegovina**
- Britain
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
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- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Gibralatar
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iran, Republic of**
- Republic of Ireland
- Israel**
- Italy
- Lativa
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- Leichtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxemburg
- Macedonia
- Malta
- Monaco
- Morocco
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
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- Romania
- San Marino
- Serbia & Montenegro
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain incl Balearic Islands
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Ukraine**
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** For your information the countries not covered by the Assistance Citroen TT are:
Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel, Iran and Ukraine. However the vehicle is covered by the insurance in these countries.
Note: Some countries may require a International Driving Permit (IDP).
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1 - Will I get a new car and what are the purchase taxes such as GST / VAT ?
Your Citroën DriveEurope car is a brand new vehicle and under special arrangement with the French government, it is fully tax free.
2 - Is my DriveEurope Citroën insured ?
Citroën DriveEurope includes full comprehensive insurance with no insurance excess.
3 - Please explain the satellite navigation system or GPS System.
Citroën Leasing in Europe offers many models with a satellite navigation system or GPS device fitted. The GPS can provide directions for all roads in France ONLY and most major motorways in Europe. You will need to purchase a separate disc if you require driving directions in other countries.
4 - Is there a limit on the number of kilometres I can drive my Citro |
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France Information
France is the most visited country in the world, and for good reason. It is a country filled with spectacular attractions, perfect for a driving holiday. It is renowned for great food, great wine, cultural attractions of all kinds, art, and film. It is also a country steeped in history, with many areas virtually unchanged over the centuries. Besides all this, France is a country of spectacular natural beauty, from the Mediterranean coastline to the Alps. In short, France has every type of attraction a visitor could possibly ask for.
But not all of France is the same. Each region has its own distinct scenery, history and culture. Exploring the entire country on a driving holiday will yield much reward for the traveller.
Paris
Paris, the City of Light, is well-renowned as a capital of culture, romance, history, art, fine dining and design. It is full of must-see landmarks and attractions. Landmarks include the Eiffel Tower, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and many museums and galleries. Events include Bastille Day celebrations on July 14, the French Tennis Open, Six Nations rugby in February, and the Tour de France.
The Alps
The Alps are perhaps the world’s premier winter sports region, and also great for hiking in summer. Albertville, Grenoble and Chamonix have all hosted the Winter Olympics. The Alps features many picturesque towns such as Chambéry, Annecy and Grenoble.
Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur
Also recommended for your vacation is Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur. Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur has many attractions, including the famous Riviera with its sophisticated resorts, Grasse, the perfume capital, stunning scenery inland, the port town of Menton, Nice, Antibes, St Tropez, Grimaud, Frejus and Cannes. Monaco is nearby. Whether you want beaches, glitz and glamour, history dating back to Roman times or dramatic scenery, this region has it all and is tremendously popular.
Lyon
Lyon is France’s second largest city. The city of Lyon is a must-visit destination for food lovers, as it is the French capital of good cuisine. It is also chock-full of cultural attractions and historical sites and is a centre of fashion and the silk trade. If that wasn’t enough, world-famous snowfields and ski areas are at Lyon’s doorstep.
Brittany
Brittany features a spectacular rugged coastline, many historical sites and picturesque villages.
Alsace, Lorraine, Franche Comté and Burgundy regions
The eastern part of France consists of the Alsace, Lorraine, Franche Comté and Burgundy regions, featuring gentle scenery and many beautiful cities. It is also a renowned wine region, producing pinot noirs and chardonnays famous the world over.
Lorraine, which borders Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany, was the site of many of the most ferocious battles of the First World War. Many visit the area to remember this chapter of history.
Alsace is a heavily forested region with ruined castles and attractive medieval villages.
Franche-Comte contains a mixture of forests, open country and quaint villages
The Aquitaine region is reputedly home to 1001 castles.
The Auvergne region was features the former capital of Vichy France. Nowadays, it features river and mountain activities, centred around several dormant volcanoes.
The Burgundy region contains beautiful scenery, Roman remains and is the home of Dijon mustard.
Central France features the Loire valley, which has many great castles and picturesque towns. It is one of the most popular regions for visitors and has been listed as a World Heritage site.
Calais includes the Amiens, Lille and Somme battlefield sites and war cemeteries from the First World War. Some of the trenches have been kept intact to help visitors understand the conditions that the soldiers faced.
Champagne-Ardenne is the home of champagne, the Reims cathedral and the Ardenne forests.
Corsica is a Mediterranean island with a spectacular coastline and a rugged mountainous interior.
Languedoc-Roussillon features long beaches, fine wines, the Millau bridge, dramatic landscapes and medieval architecture. The spectacular Millau bridge will be a driving highlight of your holiday.
Limousin, off the beaten track, features villages, woodlands and the village of Oradour-sur Glane, which was destroyed by the SS during the Second World War and its inhabitants killed. It has been preserved as a monument to this tragic chapter in history.
Pays de la Loire has long beaches, marshlands and the popular Puy du Fou theme park.
Midi Pyrenees, featuring the Pyrenees mountains, is popular for skiing and has dramatic mountain scenery and sheer cliffs.
Normandy has beautiful countryside, the Cider Route, the Alabaster Coast, the Rouen Cathedral and the Normandy beaches, known as the landing point of the Allied invasion of World War II.
Picardy features cathedrals, open fields, hills and forests.
Poitou Charentes is the home of Cognac brandy and the historic town of Saintes. The coastline, on the Atlantic, is very popular.
Driving in France
France has a well-developed system of highways. Most of the freeway (autoroute) links are toll roads. Some have toll station giving you access to a section, others have entrance and exit toll stations. Don't lose your entrance ticket or you will be charged for the longest distance. All toll stations accept major credit cards, or you can use the automatic booth, but only if your card is equipped with a chip.
Roads range from the narrow single-lane roads in the countryside to major highways. Most towns and cities were built before the general availability of the automobile and thus city centers tend to be unwieldy for cars. Keep this in mind when renting: large cars can be very unwieldy. It often makes sense to just park and then use public transportation.
France drives on the right.
Priorité à droite - the old French system was to give priority to all traffic coming from the right. This still applies at unmarked crossroads in the countryside, in small villages, as well as minor streets inside cities etc. Most other road crossings have some kind of priority system implemented. Yellow square signs (rotated 45°) indicate that your road is prioritary (all other roads must yield); a yellow lozenge with a bar shows ends this. Watch out; for drivers from other countries this is one of the most confusing aspects of French driving.
France uses many roundabouts. In the old days, roundabouts were signposted by a round blue sign, and drivers inside the roundabout had to yield to incoming traffic (which came from their right). This changed 20 years ago, and almost all roundabouts have been converted to a system, marked using a triangular sign and "yield" signs, in which drivers from outside the roundabout have to yield to drivers inside the roundabout. Though many American drivers seem to fear roundabouts, there is actually nothing to them: just yield to the traffic inside the roundabout, and turn right at the exit you wish. Two advantages to roundabouts: if you are unsure of the road to take, you can simply go round the roundabout until you have decided; and they make it easy to make a U-turn.
Signposts used in France are patterned according to EU recommendations and use mostly pictograms (not text).
Law enforcement forces (depending on the area, Police Nationale or Gendarmerie) may stop you in order to check that you have a valid driving license, valid insurance, and that your vehicle has passed safety tests. In the case of rental cars, the insurance and safety documents are provided by the rental company. If you have your own motor vehicle, you'll have to show the European "green card" proving you have insurance.
If you park illegally, law enforcement forces or traffic wardens will put a ticket under your dashboard. You can pay it by personal check drawn from a French bank (not very useful for tourists) or by buying a "timbre fiscal" (tax stamp) from a tobacconist, stick it on the ticket, and mail it to the authorities. If you actually see the law enforcement agent, you can also pay him directly in cash on by check to the Public Treasury, in exchange for a receipt. Technically, you can also challenge the fine in court if inappropriate, but this is probably to be left to people with lots of time on their hands. If you commit a traffic offense using a rental car and you do not pay it directly (e.g. speeding tickets by photo radar), the rental car company will bill you for them and may apply a surcharge.
The government has for the last 5 years increased the repression of speeding. Law enforcement sometimes read your ticket at the toll station to see how long you took since joining the autoroute: (as of 2005) they are not allowed to use that info to give you a speeding ticket. On the other hand, be aware that there is a new automatic photo-radar system that is being implemented throughout France. For the moment, this system is most commonly found along major highways, and near major cities, but it expands quickly. Large brown rectangular signs warn when you are entering an automatic photo-radar area.
Drunk driving is a very serious offense. The tolerated limit is 0.50 g/l (0.05% BAC) in blood, being above this limit is thus illegal and can entitle you a fine up to 750€ and 6 demerit points. If you are found above 0.80 g/l (0.08% BAC), or if you refuse to pass the test, the fine may reach 4500€ followed by an immediate withdrawal of your driving license; jail sentences and confiscation of the vehicle are also possible.
All passengers are required to wear their seat belt and children under 10 must use the back seat (fine 135€ per persons not wearing a seat belt, 1 demerit point if the offender is the driver.)
Being caught with a radar detector, even in your luggage is a serious offense and will result in the device being confiscated and a fine of at least €2000.
Talking on a hand held mobile phone while driving in France is forbidden.
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