Car rental in Réunion: airport, roads and tips

Car rental in Réunion is the most practical way to combine the coast, the cirques and the volcano: buses link the towns, but reaching early-morning trailheads or viewpoints almost always means having a vehicle. Most people pick up at Roland-Garros airport, where twelve rental companies are listed. Réunion is a French overseas department: French road rules and speed limits apply, and you drive on the right.

This page draws on the French government’s official public-service website (Service-public.fr, for the rules of the road), UK and US government travel advice and the airport website, and gives no prices or journey times: they depend too much on the season and the state of the roads. To plan your stay, see our Réunion travel guide, when to go to Réunion and our page on the Piton de la Fournaise.

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Should you rent a car in Réunion?

For most travellers, yes. The island packs an urbanised coast, three cirques and an active volcano into a small territory, and the best trailheads are at altitude, at the end of mountain roads. The bus network serves the coastal towns and some outlying areas, but its timetables fit poorly with the dawn departures recommended for hiking before the clouds rise. A car is almost essential if you want to:

• climb to the volcano or to Maïdo for sunrise;
• move between the west coast, a cirque and the wild south;
• string together several viewpoints, waterfalls and beaches in one day;
• start hikes from car parks far from bus lines.

Only the Mafate cirque is an exception: it can be reached only on foot or by helicopter. You leave the car at a trailhead car park, ideally a supervised one or one recommended by your accommodation.

Licence, age and documents

Réunion is an overseas department and region of France, so French rules apply. UK citizens (UK FCDO advice for France, GOV.UK, updated 22 October 2026): you can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in France; if you still have a paper licence, you may need to update it to a photocard or get the correct version of the IDP as well. The FCDO adds that hire car companies often have stricter requirements, such as a year of driving experience, a higher minimum age and holding an IDP. US citizens (travel.state.gov, France, last updated August 11, 2025): the State Department refers drivers to the Embassy of France’s « driving in France » page for information on using U.S. driver’s licenses. Travel advice for France is written mainly for mainland France, so confirm the position for Réunion with your rental company before you travel.

Minimum age, years of licence held and the « young driver » supplement are set by each rental company. At the desk, show your licence, a form of ID and a card in the main driver’s name for the security deposit. For entry rules, see the entry requirements in our Réunion travel guide; note that the U.S. Department of State says France’s overseas departments are not part of the Schengen Agreement.

Driving rules: the French highway code

The highway code that applies is the French one. The reference speeds published by Service-public.fr:

Type of road	General rule	Probationary licence	In rain
Road with two carriageways separated by a central reservation	110 km/h (68 mph)	100 km/h (62 mph)	100 km/h (62 mph)
Section with at least 2 lanes in the same direction	90 km/h (56 mph)	80 km/h (50 mph)	80 km/h (50 mph)
Two-way road without a central divider	80 km/h (50 mph)	80 km/h (50 mph)	80 km/h (50 mph)
Built-up area	50 km/h (31 mph)	50 km/h (31 mph)	50 km/h (31 mph)

• Alcohol: prohibited above 0.5 g/l of blood (0.25 mg/l of exhaled air), and above 0.2 g/l (0.10 mg/l) for probationary licences, according to Service-public.fr. The UK FCDO notes that France’s legal limit is a third lower than the limit for England and Wales, and that police regularly carry out roadside checks.
• Phone: hand-held use while driving is prohibited, as in mainland France.
• Seat belts: compulsory in front and rear; children travel in a suitable child seat, which you should reserve with the rental company.

Driving in Réunion: the real difficulties

• The roads to the cirques and the Hauts (highlands) are narrow and very twisty, with hairpin bends, single-lane stretches and sometimes rockfalls after rain: drive slowly, sound the horn briefly before blind bends and do not stop under cliffs.
• The weather changes fast: fog and rain in the Hauts even when the coast is sunny. Switch on your lights and adapt your speed.
• Road closures are possible after heavy rain, landslides or during a cyclone alert: check road information and the prefecture’s instructions before heading for the cirques.
• Traffic is often heavy around the big coastal towns at rush hour: leave a margin, especially when returning the car before a flight.
• Night driving in the Hauts is demanding (poorly lit roads, fog): plan to be back before dark, which falls early at these latitudes.
• Right-of-way: if you are used to driving on the left, take extra care at junctions and roundabouts for the first few kilometres. The U.S. Department of State notes that in France, unless indicated otherwise, drivers entering an intersection from the right have priority.

Where to pick up your rental car

Rental companies listed by Roland-Garros airport
Hertz, Sixt, ADA, Aubasprix Cargo, Europcar, Avis Réunion
Dacia Easy Rent, ITC Tropicar, Jumbo Car, Multiauto, Rent A Car, Nouloutou Mycar

This list mixes national brands and companies based on the island. The airport does not say on this page where each office is: check on your booking whether pick-up is at a desk in the terminal, in a nearby car park or after a shuttle ride, and the opening hours if your flight arrives early in the morning or late in the evening. Many other local companies, not on the list, deliver the car to the airport by appointment.

In town

There are also offices in the main towns, from Saint-Denis to Saint-Pierre via the west coast. This is useful if you only want to rent for part of your stay. If you arrive at Pierrefonds airport, in the south, check with the rental company that it offers pick-up there.

Insurance and excess: what you need to understand

Every rental includes the compulsory third-party liability insurance. Damage to the vehicle and theft are covered by waivers (often called CDW, theft protection or similar) that come with an excess, known in the US as a deductible: the amount you pay if there is a claim. The rental company usually blocks a security deposit on a card in the main driver’s name. On mountain roads, scratches from vegetation, wheel-rim knocks against gutters and gravel chips on the windscreen are the most common claims: check whether the cover you choose includes windows and tyres.

There are three options: accept the excess, buy it back at the desk, or take out separate « excess cover » from a third party (you then pay first and claim the money back). Some bank cards include rental cover: read the terms, because exclusions (windows, tyres, underbody, unpaved tracks) are common. Our travel insurance guide explains the differences.

Pick-up and return checklist

1. Photograph or film the vehicle from every angle, including wheels, windscreen and roof, with the agent present if possible.
2. Have every scratch or dent, however small, noted on the condition report.
3. Check the fuel level and the fuel policy written in the contract.
4. Test the brakes, wipers and lights: you will use them a lot in the Hauts.
5. Check the spare wheel and the presence of the high-visibility vest and warning triangle.
6. On return, have the return condition report signed; if the office is closed, photograph the parked car, the odometer and the fuel gauge.
7. Keep the contract, photos and receipts until the security deposit is fully refunded: fines can arrive after your stay, via the rental company.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Taking an underpowered car for a stay that includes many climbs to the cirques and the volcano.
• Planning too packed a programme: on mountain roads, you drive slowly.
• Heading for the cirques without checking the weather or road closures.
• Leaving items visible in the car at a trailhead car park.
• Returning the car at the last minute, with no margin for traffic jams.
• Confusing the excess with the security deposit: the deposit is blocked even without a claim.

Booking your car rental in Réunion

You can book directly with a rental company present at the airport or go through a comparison site, which shows several offers at once. Either way, compare the actual rental company (the one that will hand you the keys), the location of the desk (in the terminal or by shuttle), the amount of the excess and deposit, the mileage allowance, the fuel policy, additional-driver or young-driver fees, and the cancellation terms.

If you are still torn between the two neighbouring islands, our comparison Mauritius or Réunion helps you choose.

Frequently asked questions

Our sources

• Réunion Roland-Garros airport, « Location de voitures » page, consulted 27 October 2026.
• Service-public.fr (French government), « Vitesse au volant » (checked 29 December 2025), consulted 27 October 2026.
• Service-public.fr (French government), « Alcool au volant », consulted 27 October 2026.
• UK FCDO, foreign travel advice for France (GOV.UK, updated 22 October 2026), read 26 October 2026.
• U.S. Department of State, France country information (travel.state.gov, last updated August 11, 2025), read 26 October 2026.
• Our methodology

Updated November 2026.

Rules, lists of rental companies and conditions may change: check the official websites before you travel.