Can I rent a car in Bruges and return it in, say, Rouen?  And if so,
is there likely to be any extra charge or special rules or
requirements?  So far I have not been successful at figuring this out
from online resources.

I want to take the Chunnel train straight through from London to
Bruges and then drive down the coast to a place in the Normandy
countryside between Dieppe and Rouen.

Or rather, I want to be in London, and then Bruges, and then the place
in the country, and I am trying to figure out how to do it.  So this
question is the key to my 5th or 6th plan, having already ditched
several others.

Thank you,
Archae0pteryx

HI,
What a nice opportunity for me to try to help.

Avis quotes a price of Euro 671 for 7 days (Bruges -Rouen, in all cases)
  VW Golf combi          "  973 for 14 days

Europcar quotes          "  599 for 7 days
  Opel Astra combi       "  807 for 14 days  (Bruges office closed on Sundays.)

Europcar price is with Euro 800 deductable insurance on loss or damage (you pay
the 800).  Your credit card may cover that, but check for its doing so
in foreign countries.  Whether you can have your own auto insurance
coverage instead of that offered by the rental co. - as I believe one
can in the States -  I don't know.

So, it can be done.  Europcar has an office in the States.
Whether the price differences result from significant differences in
the offers I also don't know:  car size, insurance deductable amount,
free vs. per mile add on (Avis offer was 1000 km free miles).  There
are just too many imponderables.
Ask AAA.  Oh, and maybe there are discounts for AAA members with Hertz
and Avis or other US-based companies.

And then this from Bloomberg today:

 Gasoline prices in Germany, for example, rose to the equivalent of
$5.06 a gallon in March from $4.95 last December, while those in
France rose to $4.77 from $4.60.   Ouch?

The sponsored links are 5 for hotels in Bruges and 2 for hotels in Normandy,
but I expect that you are looking for hotels on the web.  There are
some remarkable discounts available, as also for tickets to everything
in London,
1/2 price last year for The Abridged Shakespeare.  Visit
londontown.com  if you haven't already. The web has turned pricing for
tourists into a Turkish bazaar.
Salaam, my Turkish friends  -  and A-Opteryx

Hi there, myoarin.  Not only was I not surprised to see a comment from
you but I'd have bet money you'd be my first.  Thank you for your
helpful information.  It looks like we can do it--hurray!

I'd like to know what discounts you are talking about.

There'll be other questions from me about other proposed parts of our
trip.  Maybe I should just ask you!  If you do jump in and answer them
ahead of the paid researchers, I'll just have to offer you a guest
question by way of compensation.  A stop in Germany and another in
Switzerland are also on the itinerary.

Thank you,
Archae0pteryx

Greetings Urvogel  (German for the Greek and easier to type), my
pleasure indeed, and I have a time lead.

Discounts:  It used to be that AAA (or/and other vehicle clubs: 
mobile home assoc. or the like) members got a discount on car rental
in the States, also employees of many companies and organizations such
as the Red Cross.
It just could be, that an AAA (or ?a AAA?, ?cause you?re already
thinking ?triple A??) discount was also available for car rental in
Europe by one of the US outfits.  I kind of doubt it, but it can?t
hurt to ask, ditto for a discount as an employee.

(Will you have pilgrims going to Santiago de Compostela?  (rhetorical
question)  Last night I suddenly imagined a scene (The Name of the
Rose setting) with pilgrims sleeping in the dark dormitorium, and one
hearing people cracking their lice.  None of my business!)

I will be delighted to try to help further, having nothing better to
do.  No need for a freebie if you can put up with side comments (which
I will try to keep in rein  - Whoa boy).
CHeers,

Another option to consider is to rent the car in Bruges, drive it to
Rouen, and at the end of your trip, leave the car unlocked with the
keys in the ignition.

It will soon be gone, insurance picks up the tab, and your troubles are over.

Hey...it would work in NY!

Pafalafa-ga, that's all right for Alec Guiness in Smiley's People
(correct name?), but would require an indecent amount of acting when
reporting the loss, and w/o returning the key, could be even more
difficult  - plus the Euro 800 deductable on the insurance.  And
besides, as Probono might put it:  It isn't cricket.