The right truck for your car
French rules sort recovery vehicles into three categories: P (carrier or flatbed), R (tow truck) and PR (both). A flatbed carries the whole car, wheels off the road; a tow truck lifts one axle and pulls.
- Electric car: flatbed, all four wheels lifted, as manufacturers require unless the handbook says otherwise; Tesla and Polestar, for example, state it explicitly.
- Automatic gearbox or four-wheel drive: the handbook often sets towing conditions; mention it, a flatbed is usually the safest choice.
- Accident damage: locked wheels or bent steering call for a flatbed.
Drop-off: think about it before you call
A garage that is closed when the truck arrives, at night or on a Sunday, means a second trip. Decide first: your accommodation if there's room to unload, a garage that agrees to take the car, or the hire company's agency. With a hire car, the hire company usually names the garage.
For a car in an underground car park, give the height limit shown at the entrance: a flatbed can't get under most covered car parks, so the car is first brought out with suitable equipment.
What a tow costs
The price comes from our 2026 rate card, VAT included. What weighs most is the distance between the pick-up and the drop-off; then the vehicle category (small car, SUV, van…), its condition (locked wheels, accident damage), access (underground car park, track) and the time of day. Beyond the Rennes area, a mileage supplement may be added. Everything is itemised in the form before you book.
On a motorway, someone else comes
On motorways, breakdowns are reserved to approved recovery firms, at a fee capped by the State: €151 in 2026 for cars weighing 1.8 t or less when the call is made on a weekday in daytime (8 am to 6 pm), including towing to the firm's base or to a spot no more than 5 km past the first exit. Around Rennes, that concerns the A84 towards Fougères and Caen. Get behind the barrier and dial 112 or use an emergency phone; as soon as the car is off the motorway, we can step in.
Breakdown cover
If your insurer, a motoring club or the hire company covers you, check with them first: they may pay for the tow. Otherwise, book us directly at the price of our rate card.
Updated November 2026. Lire cette page en français.