By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 26th April 2021 | Updated: 13th December 2024
Road tripping is a great way to experience a country. So why should a road trip in France be any different? With rolling countryside filled with vineyards, boulangeries on every corner, and tiny villages so perfect you could only dream of them, France is not only a great place to spend a weekend or two but even a few weeks exploring via car, (something which we have done countless times over the years)
So here is our guide for the best 2 week road trip in France itinerary;
📍 Day 1 – 3 Brittany
📍 Day 4 – 6 Paris
📍 Day 7 – 10 Fontainebleau
📍 Day 11 Troyes
📍 Day 12 – 14 The Alsace
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide & Viator
Currency Conversion: We recommend Wise
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
2 Week Road Trip in France Itinerary Map
2 Week Road Trip in France Itinerary
🚐 Total driving time between locations – 11 hours 15 minutes (not accounting for stops you are bound to take on route)
🚐 Total kilometres driven between locations – 940km
Road Trip in France: Day 1 – 3 Brittany
📍 Where to stay – We stayed in a tiny guesthouse just outside of Saint-Malo, so it was within a couple of hours’ drive to all of the destinations that we visited.
🚐 Travel Time / Distance – Saint-Malo / Rochefort-en-Terre to Paris – 4 hours 30 minutes 420km
To start off your 2 week road trip in France begin in Saint-Malo, a stunning port city in Brittany’s northwest.
If you are coming from the UK, you can take an overnight ferry to Saint-Malo from Plymouth, from elsewhere take a flight to Rennes, an hour’s drive away, or take the train directly into the centre of Saint-Malo. Now to explore Brittany for a few days!
The first day and it’s Saint-Malo we’re interested in. Saint-Malo really has to be visited to be believed. With a stunning coastline, the district of intra muros, and two islands that can only be reached at a low tide, it’s a wonderful place to discover.
Wander around the tall granite buildings inside the famous walls, before hitting the walls themselves out to the beaches. Make sure you grab some Bretagne biscuits for your exploring, they are heavenly!
Day two and we are off to the picturesque Morlaix. This medieval town is famous for its 19th-century viaduct and quaint timbered houses all alongside the harbour and out to the Bay of Morlaix. There are numerous walks you can do in and around the town, but some of the best are along the steep streets to behind the main town, up to Venelle aux Prêtres and the viaduct.
Josselin & Rochefort-en-Terre are your stops for the final day in Brittany and boy are they beautiful! Start off in Josselin and get wandering the quiet streets heading towards the castle, which has to be one of the most fairytale-like castles you have ever seen. With walks along the Nantes-Brest canal here you can get away from the main town and enjoy some peaceful views before heading back to climb the tower of the Gothic Basilica Notre Dame du Roncier.
Next, we want to head a little further down the road to Rochefort-en-Terre, one of France’s most beautiful villages. With narrow cobbled streets and half-timbered buildings covered in geraniums, (which is very much encouraged in this village), it is easy to see why it is one of the most beautiful places to visit in France.
Every street is full of artists’ residences, craft makers, and lovely cafes. Be sure to stop by a biscuit maker or two to try the pain d’épices, which are famous in the region.
From here you can either head straight on to Paris or stay the night in Saint-Malo before travelling, it’s the same time either way.
Road Trip in France: Day 4 – 6 Paris
📍 Where to stay – Anywhere in the Montmartre area. It’s cheaper than being much more central to the city and is much easier to get around. Plus being a little out of the central area means more options for parking.
🚐 Travel Time / Distance – Paris to Fontainebleau – 1 hour 15 minutes 70km
For your next three days, you will be exploring all Paris has to offer, from the typical tourist sights to the hidden delights!
For the first day get to grips with your local area and explore Montmartre in the morning then the north of the River Seine in the afternoon. Not only is this the perfect way to get to grips with the Metro transport system in Paris, but you get to experience some of the more unusual and often overlooked areas of Paris.
Begin at Sacre Coeur then wind your way through the surrounding streets and artist hideouts. Keep an eye out for the windmills… Then hop on a Metro to Place de la Concorde to wander through the Jardin des Tuileries and Le Palais Royale.
End the day at Notre Dame before walking back via Pont Neuf and the many restaurants and bars along the way!
For the second day in Paris and it’s all about the famous sights, galleries, and museums. Starting at Place du Trocadero and quite possibly the best place to view the Eiffel Tower. From here walk down to said Eiffel Tower and through the Champ de Mars before exploring anyway and every way you fancy.
We ended up walking to the northwest through the beautiful Parisian neighbourhoods, stopping at cafes and boulangeries along the way, before reaching the Musee d’Orsay. In the evening stop at Terrass Restaurant for some of the nicest food and the best view over Paris imaginable.
For your final day in Paris relax and take your time visiting the Arc de Triomphe and grabbing a crepe or two, (banana and chocolate or sugar and lemon are by far the best!), before hitting the road south to Fontainebleau.
If like us you are planning on spending a few days in Paris why not check out the Paris Pass from Go City, it offers you incredible discounted rates for tickets to attractions throughout the city, including all the famous art galleries and museums, (some up to 50%!).
Planning your own trip to France? Be sure to download Wise by far the best currency conversion app around. We use it daily living on the border of two countries and it is a game changer when travelling!
Road Trip in France: Day 7 – 10 Fontainebleau
📍 Where to stay – Le Parc du Gué in Montigny-sur-Loing. This tiny commune in France is the perfect base to explore the surrounding Fontainebleau forest, with the perfect boulangerie for breakfast every morning and all the village shops you could need all within walking distance of the campground, which is just stunning.
🚐 Travel Time / Distance – Fontainebleau to Troyes – 1 hours 30 minutes 120km
Now is for four days of exploring one of the most famous bouldering spots in the world… Fontainebleau! It’s completely up to you how you spend these four days, either relaxing and wandering the local towns or as we did, lacing up those climbing shoes and hitting a few of the famous bouldering spots around the area.
If you decide on the latter, then you have to stop by l’Éléphant, Le Cul du Chien, (think a beach surrounded by forest), Diplodocus, and Le Gruyère. Even if you are not into your bouldering then these areas still have some of the most wonderful hiking and walking routes to discover. If you are thinking of bouldering, then be sure to either bring your climbing equipment with you or hire some from one of the main towns.
Make sure you leave one day to visit the Château de Fontainebleau, with its opulent grounds and incredible 1500 rooms! Once residence to the kings of France, (technically 34 kings and 2 emperors), it is well worth a day trip to see as it is one of the largest Châteaux in France.
Road Trip in France: Day 11 Troyes
🚐 Where to park – There are numerous places to park throughout the centre, just be aware some of them can be very tight to get a larger car around!
📍 Where to stay – As it is only a day trip, we would highly recommend heading onto the next destination on the road trip and stay the night in Colmar.
🚐 Travel Time / Distance – Troyes to Colmar – 4 hours 330km
Day 11 of the road trip in France and we are off to the historic capital of Champagne. Troyes is a medieval town full to the brim with timber frame buildings and cafes galore all serving the famous drink known from the area. Hidden alleyways so narrow cats can pass from one building to the next fill the old city centre and from above it’s even shaped like a champagne cork.
Other than the stunning timber buildings, the town is also home to numerous gothic places of worship including Troyes Cathedral, which is incredible inside and out, a must-visit if you are in Troyes. Finally, explore the newer areas of Troyes not far from the cathedral where Le Coeur de Troyes can be found before heading back to the car and on to the next destination.
Be sure to take some champagne away with you so the designated driver can enjoy some at the next stop on route!
Road Trip in France: Day 12 – 14 Alsace
📍 Where to stay – The outskirts of Colmar near the train station, plenty of parking, and an easy walk/cycle into the center of Colmar and out on the wine route.
After arriving in the Alsace make your way to your base for the next 3 days, Colmar. This town is the perfect place to stay not only because of its beautiful centre full of lively eateries and often a festival or two but also due to its proximity to the Alsace Wine Route. This is precisely how you will be spending your last 3 days on the road trip in France, exploring the unique wine of the region.
For your first full day in the Alsace, you have two choices, head north out on the Wine Route or south out on the Wine Route. It doesn’t really matter which one you pick as you will do the other one on the following day. Hire some bikes, or if you have brought them with you, hit the road out on the Wine Route and get exploring all the quaint local wine towns and villages you can find.
We highly recommend a visit to Riquewihr and Kientzheim in the north and Wintzenheim and Eguisheim in the south. If you are visiting in the autumn towards the end of September / early October then you may be in luck with the local wine festivals as we were, (check out our full Alsace itinerary here).
For your final day of the road trip in France head into the center of Colmar and explore until you can explore no more. With countless beautiful roads to wander and a good café or two, you can easily while away the hours relaxing and enjoying Colmar. There is also a town Discovery Trail that you can follow so look out for the Lady Liberty gold triangles on the floor.
🚐 Total driving time between locations – 11 hours 15 minutes (not accounting for stops you are bound to take on route)
🚐 Total kilometres driven between locations – 940km
2 Week Road Trip in France FAQs
How to get to France
If arriving from the UK the best way to get to France is via the ferry to a number of locations across the northern border of France such as Dunkirk, Calais, or Le Havre. You can also take the Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais. If arriving from elsewhere in Europe you can either fly, take the train (as Europe is really well connected by trains), or drive.
Tips For a Road Trip In France
Driving in France – Is it easy to drive around France?
Driving around France is really easy. It’s no different to driving elsewhere in the world other than driving on the right, so the steering wheel is on the left-hand side of the vehicle. The only issue we ever had was when we came to the first roundabout… (coming from a driving on the left-hand side country it was a bit odd-looking the wrong way!), but you soon get used to it!
The only thing to be aware of is the motorway tolls, as is the same throughout most of mainland Europe. So have lots of spare change with you or set up an Emovis Tag account to pay as you go via your bank. You can also just pay by card as you get to each toll booth, but this doesn’t work so easily if there is only one person in the car…
What do I need in my car when driving in France?
The obvious stuff that you should always have with you in your car anyway; break-down equipment such as a warning triangle and a hi-vis jacket is a must as well as your full driving license. If you have come from the UK you should also have a GB sticker and headlamp converters if you are bringing your own car.
One thing you can’t bring is a radar detector or a satnav / GPS that shows where speed cameras are, as it is illegal so make sure that if you have this function, it is turned off or you may be fined! You don’t need to have a breathalyser with you anymore unlike a few years back.
If you a looking to rent a car, generally they all come with the above, but it is always worth a check when you first get the keys.
What vehicle to take / Car rental in France
Don’t take anything too big or that you wouldn’t want to drive through smaller country lanes as well as in cities. We’ve visited France a few times with a vehicle and believe us you wouldn’t want to have a massive thing around some of the locations we’ve been to! The same goes for when renting a vehicle, get something you are comfortable driving.
If you are looking to rent a car, we would highly recommend booking through Rentalcars.com we have used them in multiple destinations across Europe and they are also great vehicles.
Should I road trip in France with a campervan or car?
This is all down to preference, but as we mentioned above, in some locations you do not want to be driving a large vehicle, so if you have a smaller campervan, (think VW or Ford Transit-type size), then you should be fine, anything larger and you might struggle. We have enjoyed road trips in France with both a campervan and a car and both were great.
With a campervan, you can stop and camp in some incredibly scenic places, whereas with a car you are more limited to staying in hotels, B&B’s, etc. Again it is down to your preferences.
Best time to road trip in France
The best time to road trip in France is in early spring or late autumn in our opinion. The weather can still be a little cold in the spring, but the cities are full of blossoming trees and fields full of wildflowers. In the autumn you can almost guarantee running into a wine festival… Take your pick!
How long does it take to drive from one end of France to the other?
From Calais in the north to Montpellier in the south, it takes on average 10 hours. From Strasbourg in the east to Nantes in the west, it takes roughly 8 hours. This is with no stops however and you can’t drive across the entire country of France and not want to stop somewhere!
How long do I need for a road trip in France?
This is slightly dependant on where you want to visit as part of your road trip in France, but we would suggest taking at least a week for any road trip and sticking to either one region or a couple of locations.
How many days in France is enough?
You can never have too many days in France. This road trip in France is designed to be undertaken over the course of two weeks but depending on how much you like to explore and take stops along the route you can easily spend a few more days here and there. Let’s be honest the food, wine, and experience of just being in France will make you never want to leave.
Is France good for road trips?
France is a fantastic country for road trips! We’ve done a few road trips in France over the years and each one is always filled with the most beautiful landscapes and places to visit, wonderful camp grounds and, (this is the best bit), incredible food!
What is the most scenic route through France?
There is no correct answer to this, as if you ask the locals they will all tell you different answers! The Alsace is very scenic, but the Loire Valley, Route des Grandes Alpes, and Grand Corniche are all stunning too.
What is the best coastal road in France?
Anywhere that takes in the coastline of Brittany is the best coastal road in France. The scenery in Brittany is like no other in France, with beautiful towns and villages alongside the Pink Granite Coast and the famous Mont St-Michel, it really is stunning.
How big is France compared to the United States?
France is tiny in comparison to the US, with the state of Texas alone being the closest in size to France, (but even that is a little large as you could fir Switzerland in there as well!).
Conclusion: 2 Week Road Trip in France
There you have our guide to a two-week road trip in France. There are of course many more locations to visit in France, but this is a great place to start your French journey. Maybe next time we will do a north-to-south trip…
Why not head to Switzerland or Germany next? Finishing your road trip in France in the Alsace region means you have really easy access into neighbouring Germany or Switzerland so why not stop by Basel or Stuttgart, or even continue your road trip through Europe on the Grand Tour of Switzerland.
All Our France Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 The Perfect 3 Days In Paris Itinerary
📍 5 Places To Visit In Brittany
📍 7 Must See Cities, Towns And Villages In France
📍 3 days in the Alsace – Wine Route Itinerary
📍 Is Montmartre Worth Visiting? A Montmartre Guide
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.
