Advice for renting a car in Paris?

I'm visiting France for a couple of days as an extended layover and am looking to rent a car to drive to Normandy and back. I initially looked into taking the train but would love to have the flexibility of have a car to drive around for the couple of nights I booked in Normandy. Here are my questions:

- I've read that it's a bit overwhelming driving in Paris- Will I be able to avoid driving through the main city area if I pick up and return the rental at CDG Airport? I mapped the route on google maps and it looks like I can, but if anyone has first hand knowledge, I'd love to hear it!

- Does anyone have advice for booking a car through a third party, like Expedia or booking.com, vs booking directly with a rental company? I'm open to either but the prices look better through a third party.. although I see lots of complaints about the customer service, prices changing, etc. I have lots of driving experience but this will be my first time renting a car on my own, so any advice is appreciated!

Thanks in advance!