Planning first Europe trip, need rental car in France

We decided to visit Europe for the first time and chose France as our starting point. The choice makes perfect sense, a country with rich culture, tons of world-famous landmarks we've always wanted to see up close, amazing cuisine, beautiful countryside. We're planning to travel around the country on our own, without guides or tour groups, because we want the freedom to explore at our own pace and stop wherever catches our eye. For that we'll need a decent car to get around once we're there. Where can we rent one that won't break the bank but will be reliable?

Public transport between major cities works fine, but once you get into smaller towns or rural areas the connections get sparse and you end up wasting half your day waiting for buses. Having your own wheels means you can hit places like Provence villages or Loire Valley castles without being tied to train schedules. Just make sure you're comfortable with manual transmission since automatics cost more and aren't always available in Europe.

Parking in city centers can be tricky and expensive, so plan to leave the car outside the old town areas and walk in. Also check what's included in the rental price because some companies charge extra for second drivers or GPS navigation. You can look at rental cars in France here https://getrentacar.com/en-US/france . This platform connects you with private car owners across France who rent out their vehicles, starting from around 30 bucks a day, and you can arrange pickup directly at airports or in different cities depending on what works for your route.