Famous road · 3 km off the route
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Road trip route · France
Paris to Nice drive time, distance, costs & the best stops
- Drive time
- 9 hr 51 min
- Distance
- 933 km
- Fuel (est.)
- €122
- Tolls (est.)
- €61
The Paris to Nice drive
The drive from Paris to Nice covers 580 miles (933 km) and takes about 9 hr 51 min without stops. That's a long haul for one day, most drivers split it over two days, stopping overnight near Lyon, which turns a slog into a proper road trip.
Most of it is one road: the A6 carries 68% of the distance. On the way you go past Antony, Auxerre and Beaune, and you'll be near Lyon roughly 4 h 54 min in.
Expect gentle hills rather than climbs. The high point is around 363 m near Beaune. 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 €122 one-way plus roughly €61 in motorway tolls. Prices shift monthly, so treat these as ballpark figures.
At 580 miles this is longer than 97% of the 144 routes covered here, so it is worth treating as a trip in itself rather than a transfer. Split across 2 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.
- StartParis
- 17 kmAntony11 min in
- 170 kmAuxerre1 h 48 min ingood place to stop
- 309 kmBeaune3 h 16 min in
- 339 kmChalon-sur-Saône3 h 35 min in
- 393 kmMâcon4 h 9 min ingood place to stop
- 433 kmVillefranche-sur-Saône4 h 34 min in
- 463 kmLyon4 h 54 min in
- 492 kmVienne5 h 12 min in
- 563 kmValence5 h 57 min ingood place to stop
- 609 kmMontélimar6 h 26 min in
- 660 kmOrange6 h 59 min in
- 724 kmSalon-de-Provence7 h 39 min ingood place to stop
- 933 kmNice
How high it goes
Roads you'll be on
- A6629 km · 68%
- A8185 km · 20%
- A779 km · 9%
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 Paris and Nice
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
Landmarks
Palais des Papes
The largest Gothic palace in the world, serving as the seat of Western Christianity during the 14th century.
Landmarks
Saint-Tropez
A legendary Riviera fishing village turned jet-set playground, known for its pastel harbor and Pampelonne Beach.
Museums
Hospices de Beaune
A stunning 15th-century charitable hospital with dazzling polychrome Burgundian tile roofs, now a museum and wine auction venue.
Famous Bridges
Pont Saint-Bénézet (Pont d'Avignon)
The famous half-bridge of the children's song, jutting into the Rhône beneath Avignon's papal ramparts.
Ancient Ruins
Théâtre Antique d'Orange
The best-preserved Roman theatre in Europe, its towering stage wall still hosting performances after 2,000 years.
Famous Roads
Route des Grands Crus
60-km wine road from Dijon to Santenay through Burgundy's Côte d'Or, stringing together Gevrey-Chambertin, Vougeot, Romanée-Conti and Beaune along UNESCO-listed climat vineyard walls.
Waterfalls
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
France's most powerful spring gushes from the foot of a cliff into an impossibly green pool.
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.
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
Paris to Nice FAQs
How long is the drive from Paris to Nice?
Driving from Paris to Nice takes about 9 hr 51 min nonstop, covering 580 miles (933 km). Add time for breaks: most drivers stop every 2 hours.
How much does it cost to drive from Paris to Nice?
Fuel for a typical petrol car (~40 mpg) costs roughly €122 one-way. Expect around €61 in motorway tolls. Estimates are indicative: prices change monthly.
Can I drive from Paris to Nice in one day?
It's possible but long: 9 hr 51 min of driving. Most people split it over two days, with an overnight stop near Lyon, which turns the drive into a proper road trip.
Which roads do you take from Paris to Nice?
The fastest route uses the A6 (about 629 km), the A8 (about 185 km), the A7 (about 79 km). It passes Antony, Auxerre, Beaune, Chalon-sur-Saône.
Where should I stop on the way from Paris to Nice?
If you stop every couple of hours, Auxerre comes up about 2 h in, and Mâcon comes up about 4 h in, and Valence comes up about 6 h in, and Salon-de-Provence 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 19 other drives in the same country. Browse them all on the routes index.
What are the best stops between Paris and Nice?
Top-rated stops in the drive corridor include Palais des Papes, Saint-Tropez, Hospices de Beaune: see the full list of 8 stops on this page.
More drives from Paris & Nice
London → NiceLondon → ParisNice → LyonNice → MarseilleNice → MilanParis → AmsterdamParis → BarcelonaParis → BordeauxParis → BrusselsParis → Calais
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.