Rental cars are becoming a rare commodity. The increasingly palpable prospects of strikes at the SNCF encourage the French to jump on this service for the Christmas holidays when the period is already traditionally strong for this service. As a logical consequence, the supply dries up and prices rise.
“A sharp rise in prices”
And yet, until the end of November, the car rental market was down. The Carigami comparator thus noted a reduction in bookings throughout December by 50% compared to December 2021. In terms of prices, the average rental for a week was then 405 euros. But to date, the situation has changed a lot.
“Fifteen days before Christmas, it is the usual fever, but the prospect of a strike at the SNCF has added a little wind of panic that we have seen since December 7 with a sharp rise in prices. The market is overheating, it becomes difficult to find a vehicle” analysis for BFM Business, Pierre Feisthauer, Carigami development manager.
548 euros per week in Paris, 729 euros in Marseille
Specifically, the low price* for a 7-day rental in France is going from 405 euros at the end of November to 492 euros aujourd’hui (and 420 euros an even more during the same period) with an increase of 21.5% in two weeks.
But this price hides strong local disparities. It goes up to 476 euros per week in Bordeaux, 491 euros in Lyon, 548 euros in Paris (compared to 429 euros at the end of November) and even 729 euros per week in Marseilles compared to 512 euros at the end of November, a jump of 42.4%.
This inflation is a consequence of the strength of the demand but also of the shortage of vehicles that persists among the rental companies.
“The offer is not available in some cities because not all cities are overcrowded in the same way, there are black spots like in Marseille. There is nothing rational about it. But one thing is certain, the insufficient number of vehicles produced weighs on the offer “, continues Pierre Feisthauer.
*: these average prices refer to all types of vehicles, knowing that the vast majority of rented vehicles are Renault Clio-type city cars.
Source: BFM TV
