Famous road · 3 km off the route
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Road trip route · United Kingdom · France
London to Nice drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 14 hr 46 min
- Distance
- 1391 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €176
- Tolls (est.)
- €45
The London to Nice drive
The drive from London to Nice covers 864 miles (1391 km) and takes about 14 hr 46 min without stops, including the 35-minute Eurotunnel shuttle from Folkestone to Calais. That's a long haul for one day, most drivers split it over two days, stopping overnight near Auxerre, which turns a slog into a proper road trip.
It's split between the A6, the A13 and the A8, with no single road carrying more than 42% of it. On the way you go past Wimbledon, Woking and Bordon, and you'll be near Auxerre roughly 7 h 29 min in. The border from United Kingdom into France comes between Portsmouth and Cherbourg, about 191 km in.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 454 m. The Route des Grands Crus is 3 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €176 one-way plus roughly €45 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 864 miles this is longer than 99% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Split across 3 days it works out at about 4.9 hours behind the wheel each day, which leaves most of the daylight for the places in between.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping, plus where you cross the border.
- StartLondon
- 17 kmWimbledon10 min in
- 45 kmWoking26 min in
- 79 kmBordon45 min in
- 120 kmPortsmouth1 h 9 min in
- 191 kmInto France
- 261 kmCherbourg2 h 30 min ingood place to stop
- 354 kmBayeux3 h 23 min in
- 385 kmCaen3 h 41 min ingood place to stop
- 501 kmSaint-Étienne-du-Rouvray4 h 47 min in
- 567 kmMantes-la-Jolie5 h 25 min in
- 611 kmVersailles5 h 50 min ingood place to stop
- 646 kmÉvry6 h 10 min in
- 783 kmAuxerre7 h 29 min ingood place to stop
- 1391 kmNice
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A6642 km · 42%
- A13216 km · 14%
- A8185 km · 12%
- N13116 km · 8%
Famous roads on or near the drive
From the 500-plus passes and driving roads drivers collect in the Plan Your Road Trips app. None are on the fastest route, but these are close enough for a detour.
Famous road · 11 km off the route
Grande Corniche (D2564)
Mountain pass · 13 km off the route
Col de Vence
- Summit
- 963 m summit
Best stops between London and Nice
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Castles & Palaces
Leeds Castle
A castle on islands in a lake formed by the River Len in Kent, often called the loveliest castle in the world.
Castles & Palaces
Dover Castle
A medieval fortress overlooking the English Channel, known as the Key to England due to its strategic defensive significance.
Natural Wonders
White Cliffs of Dover
Iconic chalk cliffs reaching up to 110 meters high along the English Channel, symbolizing Britain for centuries.
Cathedrals & Temples
Canterbury Cathedral
Seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury and one of the oldest Christian structures in England.
Tunnels
Channel Tunnel (Eurotunnel)
50 km tunnel under the English Channel - drive your car on the train
Museums
Musee de l'Automobile Henri Malartre
Pioneering car museum in a hilltop chateau above the Saone near Lyon, displaying pre-1914 automobiles, historic motorcycles, trams and celebrity cars, including one of Hitler's armoured Mercedes.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
United Kingdom
- Motorway
- 112 km/h · 48 in town
- Tolls
- Individual tolled crossings (Dart Charge, M6 Toll)
- Drives on
- the left
Low-emission zones: London ULEZ (Ultra Low Emission Zone).
France
- Motorway
- 130 km/h · 50 in town
- Tolls
- Autoroute à péage
- Must carry
- warning triangle, hi-vis vest
- Winter tyres
- 1 November - 31 March
Low-emission zones: ZFE (Zones à Faibles Émissions) — needs a Crit'Air (Certificat qualité de l'air).
Checked against national road authorities and the ECB reference rates. Rules change — confirm before you travel.
Famous drives in United Kingdom and France
Legendary routes you could bolt onto this trip, with real distances and stop counts.
Verdon Gorge: Route des Crêtes
Europe's deepest canyon, turquoise water 700m below, and a clifftop road with no barriers
104 km · 3h driving · 5 stops · 2 days
Snake Pass + Peak District
Cobblestone villages, Bronte-novel moors, and the moodiest 14 miles of road in England
104 km · 2h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Atlantic Highway A39: North Cornwall
Cornish surf beaches, smuggler's coves, and the Westcountry pasty trail
139 km · 2.5h driving · 7 stops · 4 days
Causeway Coastal Route
Belfast to Derry along Northern Ireland's cliff-edge coast, via Game of Thrones country
200 km · 3.3h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
London to Nice FAQs
How long is the drive from London to Nice?
Driving from London to Nice takes about 14 hr 46 min nonstop, covering 864 miles (1391 km), including the 35-minute Eurotunnel shuttle crossing. Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from London to Nice?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €176 one-way. Expect around €45 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from London to Nice in one day?
It's possible but long: 14 hr 46 min of driving. Most people split it over two days, with an overnight stop near Auxerre, which turns the drive into a proper road trip.
Which roads do you take from London to Nice?
The fastest route uses the A6 (about 642 km), the A13 (about 216 km), the A8 (about 185 km), the N13 (about 116 km). It passes Wimbledon, Woking, Bordon, Portsmouth.
Where should I stop on the way from London to Nice?
If you stop every couple of hours, Cherbourg comes up about 2 h in, and Caen comes up about 4 h in, and Versailles comes up about 6 h in, and Auxerre comes up about 8 h in. All are just off the main road.
What other drives can I plan on Plan Your Road Trips?
We publish drive times, distances and fuel estimates for 144 routes across Europe and beyond, including 57 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between London and Nice?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Leeds Castle, Dover Castle, White Cliffs of Dover: see the full list of 6 stops on this page.
More drives from London & Nice
London → AberdeenLondon → AmsterdamLondon → BarcelonaLondon → BathLondon → BirminghamLondon → BrightonLondon → BristolLondon → BrugesLondon → BrusselsLondon → Cambridge
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free United Kingdom road trip planner, browse every destination we cover or the France planner, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in France guide.