How To Get Around France (What Actually Works)

Travel Guides Mar 28, 2026
How To Get Around France (What Actually Works)

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WRITTEN BY:

SHNAI JOHNSON Digital Nomad
WRITTEN BY:

I’m Shnai, and this is Roly 🐾 One woman, one dog on the road, navigating Europe, Africa and beyond by car. I write about travel guides, digital nomad life, and dog-friendly travel tips. Hit subscribe to join us each week!


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How To Get Around France (What Actually Works)

France is one of the easiest countries in Europe to move through but the reality is, there isn’t one “best” way.

I spent just over a month travelling France by car with my dog Roly, moving from the north down the west coast before crossing into Spain.

That wasn’t the fastest way to do it but it was the way that made the most sense for how I travel:

  • working remotely
  • travelling with a dog
  • moving at a pace that allows places to actually deepen

At the same time, France is much bigger than one single route. The way you move between each changes the experience completely:

  • the Atlantic coast
  • the south of France
  • eastern cities like Strasbourg
  • inland hubs like Lyon

You can read more in my France travel guides. 

Table of Contents

The Key Insight: Movement Shapes the Trip

France isn’t difficult to navigate but it isn’t neutral. The way you move determines whether your trip feels:

  • connected or fragmented
  • flexible or fixed
  • fast or lived-in

Driving along the west coast of France, the journey between places became part of the experience.

Rouen to Rennes felt different from Rennes to Nantes.

Nantes to La Rochelle shifted again; more open, more coastal.

But that’s just one version of France.

Take a different route:

  • Nice to Marseille → Mediterranean, faster pace, coastal density
  • Lyon to Chamonix → mountains, altitude, longer drive effort
  • Strasbourg to Colmar → compact, storybook towns, short distances

Same country. Completely different movement logic. That’s why transport choice matters more here than people expect.

Getting Around France by Car (Where It Works Best)

I chose to drive across France because it removed friction. Travelling with a dog and running a business means:

  • you need flexibility
  • you need control over timing
  • you can’t rely on rigid schedules

Driving allowed me to:

  • leave places when I wanted
  • stop in small towns without planning
  • adapt routes based on work or energy

Where driving is strongest

Driving is the best option when you’re covering:

1. The West Coast (Atlantic route)

Rouen → Rennes → Nantes → La Rochelle → Bordeaux → Biarritz

This is where France opens up. Distances are manageable, but trains don’t connect the smaller towns cleanly.

How To Get Around France

2. The South of France (spread-out coastline)

Between:

  • Nice
  • Cannes
  • Saint-Tropez

You can take trains but driving gives you access to:

  • beaches outside main towns
  • hilltop villages in Provence
  • quieter coastal stops
The South of France

3. Rural & mountain regions

Areas like:

  • French Alps
  • Dordogne

are difficult without a car. Distances aren’t huge but transport is limited.

French Alps

What driving actually costs

Typical (2026):

  • Car rental: €30–€70/day
  • Fuel: €1.70–€2.00/litre
  • Tolls: €10–€30 per long motorway stretch
  • Parking: €10–€25/day in cities

Tolls (péage system)

France’s motorway system is fast but paid.

  • ticket on entry
  • pay on exit
  • card accepted everywhere

Toll roads = faster, direct. Non-toll = slower, more scenic

Where driving becomes unnecessary

Cities like: Bordeaux, Lyon, Strasbourg are fully walkable.

Once you arrive, the car becomes secondary.

Getting Around France by Train (Where It’s Better)

France’s rail system is one of the strongest in Europe. If your trip is city-focused, trains are often the better choice. 

Where trains outperform driving

Long-distance city connections

  • Paris → Bordeaux (~2 hours)
  • Paris → Lyon (~2 hours)
  • Paris → Strasbourg (~2 hours)

High-speed lines make these routes significantly faster than driving.

Where trains struggle

  • coastal routes with smaller towns
  • rural areas
  • mountain regions

For example:

  • getting between Atlantic towns without a car = slower + indirect
  • Provence villages = difficult without driving

Costs

  • €20–€120 depending on timing
  • booking early matters

Operator:

  • SNCF

Travelling with a dog on trains

  • Small dogs (<6kg): carrier (~€7)
  • Larger dogs: ticket + muzzle required

Possible but not seamless compared to driving.

Getting Around France by Train

Flying Within France (When It Makes Sense)

Flying only works when distances are large.

Example:

  • Paris → Nice

This is one of the few routes where flying can save meaningful time. But even then:

  • Train = more central and less fragmented
  • Flight = faster in the air, slower overall
Flying Within France

Ferries & Crossing from the UK

If you’re starting from the UK:

Eurotunnel

  • 35 minutes
  • stay in your car

Operator:

  • Eurotunnel Le Shuttle

You can read more in my guide London to Rouen: Our First Road Trip Stop (With Roly in the Front Seat). 

Ferries &amp; Crossing from the UK

Ferry

  • slower
  • more route flexibility (Normandy, Brittany)

Operator:

  • Brittany Ferries

You can read more in my guide Ferry to France from the UK (With a Car). 

Ferries &amp; Crossing from the UK

Getting Around France Without a Car

France is very manageable without driving, if structured correctly.

Works best in:

  • Bordeaux
  • Lyon
  • Strasbourg
  • Nice

Everything becomes walkable and connected.

Becomes harder in:

  • Atlantic coast routes
  • rural Provence
  • mountain regions

This is where transport gaps appear.

Regional Differences (What Changes Where)

This is the part most guides miss. France doesn’t move the same everywhere.

West Coast (Atlantic)

  • more spread out
  • fewer direct train links
  • driving makes the route feel connected

South of France (Mediterranean)

  • denser coastline
  • train options exist
  • driving adds flexibility for beaches and villages

East (Alsace & Strasbourg)

  • compact
  • well connected
  • easy by train or short drives

Alps

  • scenic but slower
  • requires more planning
  • driving is often essential

Taxis, Uber & Local Transport

In most cities:

  • Uber is widely available
  • trams and buses are efficient
  • taxis exist but are less flexible

Realistically:

Walking and occasional Uber covers most needs.

Can You Travel France Without Speaking French?

Yes. In cities, English is widely spoken. In smaller towns, less so but still manageable.

What changes the experience isn’t fluency. It’s approach.

A simple “bonjour” shifts everything.

What Actually Matters When Choosing

After travelling France for a month by car, the difference wasn’t convenience. It was structure.

Driving gave:

  • flexibility
  • continuity
  • control over pace

Trains gave:

  • speed
  • simplicity

Flights removed:

  • everything in between

Final Thought

France is easy to navigate but the experience isn’t created by transport. It’s created by how you move through it.

Driving lets the country unfold gradually. Trains compress it into key moments. Flights skip the transitions entirely.

And in France, those transitions are often the best part.

For city-by-city breakdowns and deeper regional planning, explore the full France Travel Guides.

Enjoyed this route? Follow along for the next one.

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Shnai Johnson Mar 28, 2026

FAQs - How To Get Around France

It depends on how your trip is structured.

If you’re moving through multiple regions (for example the west coast, Provence, or the Alps), driving is usually the best option. It gives you control over timing, allows you to stop between destinations, and makes smaller towns accessible.

If your trip is city-based (Paris → Lyon → Bordeaux → Strasbourg), trains are often better. France’s high-speed rail network is fast, reliable, and removes the need to think about parking or navigation.

A good rule:

  • 3+ stops across different regions → drive
  • 2–3 major cities → train

Yes, but it depends where you go.

In cities like Bordeaux, Lyon or Strasbourg, you don’t need a car at all. Everything is walkable, and public transport is strong.

Where it becomes limiting is between destinations.

Routes like the Atlantic coast (La Rochelle → Biarritz) or rural Provence aren’t well connected by train. You’ll rely on:

  • indirect routes
  • longer travel times
  • fixed schedules

So yes, you can do France without a car but your route becomes more restricted.

It sits in the middle compared to Western Europe.

Driving costs (approx):

  • Fuel: €1.70–€2.00/litre
  • Tolls: €10–€30 per long motorway stretch
  • Parking: €10–€25/day in cities

Train costs:

  • €20–€120 depending on route and booking timing

What actually changes your budget isn’t transport alone — it’s how often you move.

Frequent one-night stays + constant movement = more expensiveLonger stays + fewer moves = more efficient

Yes, especially in cities.

In places like Nice, Paris or Bordeaux, English is widely understood in restaurants, cafes and hotels.

In smaller towns, less so but it’s still manageable.

What changes the experience isn’t fluency, it’s effort.

Even basic words like bonjour, merci shift how people respond to you.

You won’t struggle without French but you’ll notice the difference when you use a little.

The cheapest option depends on distance and structure.

For single routes:

  • trains booked early are usually cheapest

For multi-stop trips:

  • driving often becomes more cost-efficient over time

Budget airlines can be cheap between major cities, but once you factor in:

  • airport transfers
  • baggage
  • time lost

No, most people adjust quickly.

Motorways are easy and well signposted. The only challenge may be in city centres like Bordeaux or Nice, where streets are narrow and parking is limited.

If you avoid driving directly into historic centres and use parking just outside, it becomes very straightforward.

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