One week in France: a multi-city route
Paris, Lyon, Avignon, and Nice, linked end to end by TGV.
Photo by Antony BEC on Unsplash
Interactive map of the route. The full stop list below works without it.
How do you spend a week in France?
Start in Paris for the densest cluster of sights, then ride the TGV south to Lyon for old-town lanes and a proper Lyonnais lunch, continue to Avignon for the papal palace and the Rhône, and finish on the Mediterranean in Nice. Every leg is a direct train, so the whole route works without a car. Wayside's walking tours carry you through Paris and Nice; the middle stops are easy to cover on foot.
- Days 1 to 3
Start in the capital
Base yourself near the Seine and begin with the Two Islands walk, which moves from Sainte-Chapelle's stained glass through Place Dauphine and the Pont Neuf to Notre-Dame. The other Paris tours cover the city's grand axis, Montmartre, the covered passages, the Left Bank, and the 7th arrondissement, so you can string several walking days together without doubling back. Versailles is an easy half-day rail trip from the center if you want the palace; book the château's timed entry ahead.
- TransitDirect TGV trains from Paris Gare de Lyon to Lyon Part-Dieu run about 30 times a day from 06:20 to 21:00. The fastest trip takes about 1 hour 39 minutes, and advance fares start around 25 euros one way on OUIGO.SourceSNCF Connect, Paris to Lyon
- BookTGV INOUI and OUIGO tickets go on sale about 4 months before departure; Prem's fares on TGV INOUI can start at 15 euros.SourceSNCF Connect, TGV INOUI
- Days 4 to 5
France's kitchen
Wayside tour coming soonLyon earns its stop for food and for the traboules, the covered passageways that cut through Renaissance courtyards between the Saône and the Fourvière hill. Eat in a bouchon, the city's traditional bistro, and climb to the basilica for the view over the red rooftops. There is no Wayside tour here yet, but the Presqu'île and Vieux Lyon are compact enough to cover on foot.
- TransitThe fastest direct train from Lyon Part-Dieu to Avignon takes about 50 minutes, and OUIGO fares sometimes drop as low as 10 euros.SourceSNCF Connect, Lyon to Avignon
- Days 6 to 7
The papal city
Wayside tour coming soonAvignon compresses its history inside a ring of medieval walls. The Palais des Papes, the largest Gothic palace in Europe, and the broken Pont d'Avignon sit five minutes apart, and the streets between them hold enough cafés and food halls for a relaxed evening. From here you can day-trip to Arles or Nîmes on a short regional train, but Avignon itself is the calm midpoint of the route.
- TransitTrains from Avignon to Nice run throughout the day. The fastest direct trip takes about 3 hours 15 minutes, and advance fares start around 26 euros.SourceSNCF Connect, Avignon to Nice timetableOmio, Avignon to Nice
- Days 8 to 9
The Riviera's old town
Finish on the Mediterranean. The When Nice Was Nissa walk threads the ochre lanes of Vieux Nice from the Cours Saleya market to the Baroque cathedral and the Palais Lascaris. The Promenade walk tells how an English-funded footpath became the Riviera's defining balcony. Climb Castle Hill for the bay view, then end the trip on the Promenade des Anglais with the Hôtel Negresco lit up behind you.
Less time?
If you have fewer days, cut Avignon and ride straight from Lyon to Nice, or keep Paris and Nice and skip the middle stops. The Wayside cities, Paris and Nice, still give you the full contrast between the capital and the Riviera.
Planning your route
Is this route doable without a car?
Yes. Every leg is a direct train, and Paris and Nice are best covered on foot. A car only helps for optional detours to Provençal hill villages, which you can skip or do as day trips.
When should I book the trains?
Book as soon as your dates are firm. TGV INOUI and OUIGO tickets go on sale about 4 months ahead, and the cheapest fares disappear first.
SourceSNCF Connect, TGV INOUIIs a rail pass worth it for this route?
Usually not for direct point-to-point legs like these. Advance fares are low, and a France pass still needs a paid seat reservation on most TGV trains.
SourceEurail, France PassCan I add Versailles or a Provence day trip?
Yes. Versailles is a short rail trip from Paris, and Arles or Nîmes are short regional trains from Avignon.
More of France
- Walking toursWalking tours in FranceFrance rewards a first trip with a route that changes character every couple of days: the monument density of Paris, a food city in Lyon, a walled papal capital in Avignon, and Mediterranean light in Nice. Wayside has self-guided walking tours in Paris and Nice, covering the Seine islands, Montmartre, the covered passages, Vieux Nice, and the Promenade des Anglais. This country page links those anchors by high-speed rail through Lyon and Avignon, so a visitor gets the capital, the Rhône valley, and the Riviera without renting a car.
- Know before you goFrance essentialsThe national pre-trip briefing for France: entry rules and the new EES border system, the euro and VAT refunds, trains and tolls, plugs, emergency numbers, and when to come.
Do it yourself
Follow it in the app
Walk Paris and Nice with a local's eye, then ride the TGV through Lyon and Avignon.
Provenance · last verified August 20, 2026
Researched and routed by Wayside, with inter-city detail checked against the source.
SourcesFrance Travel Wiki, France travel budgetEurail, France PassSNCF Connect, TGV INOUISNCF Voyageurs, 2025 fare statementSNCF Connect, Paris to LyonSNCF Connect, Lyon to AvignonSNCF Connect, Avignon to Nice timetableOmio, Avignon to Nice
Photo by Antony BEC on Unsplash