Famous road · 11 km off the route
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Road trip route · France
Nice to Lyon drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 5 hr 4 min
- Distance
- 471 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €62
- Tolls (est.)
- €31
The Nice to Lyon drive
The drive from Nice to Lyon covers 293 miles (471 km) and takes about 5 hr 4 min without stops. That makes it a comfortable one-day drive. Leave in the morning and you'll arrive with the day ahead of you.
About 58% of it is on the A7, and most of the rest on the A8. On the way you go past Antibes, Fréjus and Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, and you'll be near Salon-de-Provence roughly 2 h 14 min in.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 329 m near Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume. The Grande Corniche (D2564) is 11 km off the route if you have time for a detour.
Expect fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) to cost around €62 one-way plus roughly €31 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 293 miles this is longer than 78% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer.
The road, kilometre by kilometre
Towns within a few kilometres of the fastest route, with the time it takes to reach them without stopping.
- StartNice
- 19 kmAntibes12 min in
- 62 kmFréjus40 min in
- 137 kmSaint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume1 h 29 min in
- 173 kmAix-en-Provence1 h 52 min ingood place to stop
- 207 kmSalon-de-Provence2 h 14 min in
- 271 kmOrange2 h 55 min in
- 323 kmMontélimar3 h 28 min in
- 369 kmValence3 h 58 min ingood place to stop
- 440 kmVienne4 h 44 min in
- 471 kmLyon
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A7273 km · 58%
- A8186 km · 39%
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.
Mountain pass · 13 km off the route
Col de Vence
- Summit
- 963 m summit
Best stops between Nice and Lyon
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Landmarks
La Croisette, Cannes
The glamorous seaside boulevard famous for the Cannes Film Festival and its luxurious beachfront setting.
Landmarks
Saint-Tropez
A legendary Riviera fishing village turned jet-set playground, known for its pastel harbor and Pampelonne Beach.
Natural Wonders
Pont d'Arc
A magnificent 60-meter-wide natural stone arch spanning the Ardeche River at the entrance to its spectacular gorge.
Coastal Drives
Corniche de l'Esterel
A spectacular coastal road winding through the red porphyry rocks of the Esterel massif between Cannes and Frejus.
Racetracks
Circuit Paul Ricard
French Formula 1 circuit near the Côte d'Azur famous for its distinctive blue and red run-off stripes.
Ancient Ruins
Théâtre Antique d'Orange
The best-preserved Roman theatre in Europe, its towering stage wall still hosting performances after 2,000 years.
Landmarks
Gordes
A stunning hilltop village of white stone houses perched dramatically above the Luberon valley.
Castles & Palaces
Les Baux-de-Provence
A dramatic medieval fortress village crowning a rocky limestone outcrop in the Alpilles mountains.
Waterfalls
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
France's most powerful spring gushes from the foot of a cliff into an impossibly green pool.
What you need for this drive
Rules for each country on the route, in the order you meet them.
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 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
Route Napoléon: Cannes to Grenoble
The road Napoleon took from exile back to Paris, now a 325 km drive through pre-Alps
325 km · 5.7h driving · 7 stops · 3 days
Nice to Lyon FAQs
How long is the drive from Nice to Lyon?
Driving from Nice to Lyon takes about 5 hr 4 min nonstop, covering 293 miles (471 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Nice to Lyon?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €62 one-way. Expect around €31 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Nice to Lyon in one day?
Yes, at about 5 hr 4 min of driving, Nice to Lyon is a comfortable one-day drive with a couple of breaks.
Which roads do you take from Nice to Lyon?
The fastest route uses the A7 (about 273 km), the A8 (about 186 km). It passes Antibes, Fréjus, Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume, Aix-en-Provence.
Where should I stop on the way from Nice to Lyon?
If you stop every couple of hours, Aix-en-Provence comes up about 2 h in, and Valence comes up about 4 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 19 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Nice and Lyon?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include La Croisette, Cannes, Saint-Tropez, Pont d'Arc: see the full list of 9 stops on this page.
More drives from Nice & Lyon
Planning a bigger trip? Try the free France road trip planner, browse every destination we cover, take it with you on the road, or read the driving in France guide.