If you are thinking of taking a road trip at your own pace and with total freedom, here we recommend three of the best driving tours in France for you to enjoy. In one of the most diverse countries in Europe, we tell you about the most interesting destinations around three cities located in different parts of the country. This way, you can choose what kind of landscapes, leisure activities or cultural and gastronomic offerings attract your attention the most.
In addition, all the routes we suggest simply involve renting a car and letting yourself be carried away by the French countryside. Do not miss a single detail!
The 3 best driving tours in France
Discovering new places in a relaxed, leisurely way and enjoying the scenery is one of the world’s greatest pleasures. Below, we detail three driving tours in France that are great tourist destinations to spend a few days of rest and relaxation and where you can get to know new places that are very different from each other.
Paris-Lyon
The first of our recommended driving tours in France is one that covers the more than 460 kilometers that separate the French capital from the city of Lyon. In addition, we suggest taking a circular route, passing through different towns and villages in inland France that are worth visiting. Starting in Lyon, the first part of the route takes us to Geneva, the Swiss city bordering France, which is only 150 kilometers from Lyon. Dedicating a day to visiting the most iconic sights of this city is a great way to start the route.
Later, and following the border with Switzerland, you can visit Dijon, one of the most characteristic cities of Burgundy and known around the world for its mustard. Dijon is also known as the city of 100 bell towers, and this French municipality has preserved its pure medieval essence in its buildings, such as the Palace of the Dukes or the Tower of Philip the Good.
From Dijon you can reach Paris by passing through the natural parks of inland France, and spend one or two days visiting the most iconic monuments of the French capital. Finally, you can complete the tour by returning to Lyon via Auxerre, a small town that is the capital of the department of Yonne and looks like it is straight out of a fairy tale.
Lyon-Nice
If you are a little short on vacation days, you can opt for the route linking Lyon and Nice, two of the most popular cities in eastern France. Some of the most interesting monuments in Lyon are the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Fourvière, the cathedral or the historic center of the city itself.
On your trip to Nice you can stop in Marseille, one of France's most luxurious and exclusive coastal cities. There, in addition to its large port, it is worth checking out the cathedral, Fort Saint-Jean and the Le Panier district.
Finally, from Marseille you can drive along the French coast, passing through Cannes, until you reach Nice, the biggest city along the French Riviera. Once there, you can visit some of the main tourist attractions, such as the Promenade des Anglais, the old city or the cathedral of San Nicolas.
Bordeaux-Toulouse
The third and final driving tour in France on our list takes you from Bordeaux to Toulouse, covering about 250 kilometers between both cities. If you spend a couple of days exploring Bordeaux and its surroundings, you can visit the Place de la Bourse, the Saint-André Cathedral or the Porte Cailhau, one of the most photographed buildings in Bordeaux. In addition, of course, to tasting some of the many appellation wines of the region.
And, if you decide to spend another couple of days in Toulouse, you can choose to visit the Place du Capitole, the most important square in the city, the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the Victor Hugo Market or the old town. If, along the way, you want to discover some small French villages with great charm, you can stop in Montauban, known as the other pink city, and visit Moissac Abbey, listed as having one of the most beautiful cloisters in all of Europe.
In any of the three cases, these are routes that you can take by renting a car in France wit OK Mobility easily in Lyon, Nice or Bordeaux. As a result, you will not need to depend on public transport schedules to move from one place to another, and you will have complete freedom to do so. Traveling by car allows you to improvise, and, without a doubt, those tend to be the best plans.
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