Landmarks
La Croisette, Cannes
The glamorous seaside boulevard famous for the Cannes Film Festival and its luxurious beachfront setting.
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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.
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.
Best stops between Nice and Lyon
Within ~30 km of the driving route, worth the detour.
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.
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.