There are many reasons why going on a France road trip should be very high on your European bucket list. The south of France is home to some of the prettiest towns and most beautiful landscapes I’ve ever seen, not to mention all of the incredible food and wine this region has to offer!
The best way to see southern France is by renting a car so that you can easily travel around at your own pace, stopping wherever and whenever you please. I’ve designed this epic 10 day France road trip itinerary to pass through the very best sights and stop in the most beautiful small towns and villages along the way.
So buckle up and get ready to taste all the delicious French cheeses, olives and wines, inhale the scent of fresh lavender, wander through the most charming medieval villages and drive through the most incredible landscapes you’ve ever seen. I promise this France road trip will not disappoint!
Table of Contents
France Road Trip Overview
- Nice – 1 night
- Moustiers-Sainte-Marie – 1 night
- Valensole Lavender fields
- Roussillon
- Gordes – 2 nights
- Château de Tarascon
- Pont du Gard
- Nîmes – 2 nights
- Carcassonne – 2 nights
- Cahors (option to spend 1 night)
- Rocamadour – 2 nights
The spectacular Gorges du Verdon, seen from the Pont du Galetas viewpoint
Recommended stops
Day One – Depart Nice early + drive 3 hrs to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie taking the scenic mountain road that runs through the Gorges du Verdon. See the sights of Moustiers in the afternoon and evening.
Night One – Spend one night in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie.
Day Two – Wake up early and begin the 2 hour drive toward Gordes with a stop at the Valensole lavender fields for some photos. Stop once more in the village of Roussillon + take a walk around the Ochre Trail before continuing the drive to Gordes.
Nights Two & Three – Spend two nights in the village of Gordes.
Day Three – Spend a full day seeing the highlights of Gordes and surrounding countryside.
Day Four – Depart Gordes in the morning + drive 50 min to Château de Tarascon. Spend 1 hour at the castle then drive 25 mins to the ancient Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard. Spend a few hours at the aqueduct and museum before driving a further 30 mins to Nîmes.
A perfect Carcassonne sunset
Night Four & Five – Spend two nights in Nîmes.
Day Five – Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Nîmes, visiting the amazing Roman monuments.
Day Six –Depart Nîmes and drive 2.5 hours to Carcassonne. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring Carcassonne.
Nights Six & Seven – Spend two nights in Carcassonne.
Day Seven – Visit all of Carcassonne’s highlights.
Day Eight – Drive 2.5 hours to the town of Cahors (option to spend 1 night here to break up the drive), spend a few hours exploring the town before driving 1 hour to the village of Rocamadour.
Nights Eight & Nine – Spend two nights in Rocamadour.
Day Nine – See the highlights of Rocamadour on the final day of the road trip.
Day Ten – Drive to Toulouse airport + fly home
Total Driving Time
13-14 hours, give or take depending on traffic
Longest Stretch of Driving
3.5 hours – Day 8, Carcassonne to Rocamadour with a stop in Cahors to break it up
Total Kilometres / Miles Covered
970 kilometres / 600 miles
France Road Trip Highlights
- The drive through the majestic Gorges du Verdon will take your breath away
- Picturesque villages of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, Gordes and Roussillon are so beautiful they will leave a lasting memory
- The extremely well preserved medieval towns of Carcassonne and Rocamadour are both UNESCO World Heritage Sites to tick off
- Taste the delicious Malbec wine in the pretty town of Cahors
- Breathtakingly beautiful scenery will be seen along your drives including lavender & sunflower fields, vineyards, turquoise lakes, pretty castles and so much more!
- Discover the fascinating Roman history and well preserved 2000+ year old monuments in the lovely town of Nîmes
The magical village of Gordes
How Long Will I Need?
We completed this France road trip in 10 days, this is the minimum time you should allow to follow it however it would be very easy to extend this itinerary to 2 weeks if you prefer a slower pace. There are many other towns, cities and attractions to visit along the way that you could easily stretch it out if you are flexible.
We flew to Nice from England, but if you are arriving after a long haul flight you should allow for a few days to recover at the beginning of your trip. Spending a few extra nights in Nice would be a good idea.
Pretty scenes around Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
Best Time to Visit the South of France
We did this road trip in late September/early October and the weather was mostly sunny and around 10-22°C. We had a few days of rain and the temperatures got cooler as we travelled north. For the most part, we found this to be a great time to travel as there were minimal crowds.
The summer months of June/July/August are definitely the most popular time to road trip the south of France but bear in mind that there will be a significant amount of people in each town and at every attraction. If you’re hoping to see the lavender fields, the best time is mid June – mid July.
Another great option would be to visit during the spring months of April, May or early June as the temperatures begin to rise and just before the summer crowds arrive. The south of France typically sees a lot of sun year round so if you’re not a fan of crowds, plan your trip for spring or autumn.
The breathtaking cliffside village of Rocamadour
The Best Travel Insurance for Road Trips
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The Ultimate France Road Trip Itinerary – Beautiful Lavender Fields, Magical Cliffside Villages & Spectacular Landscapes
Chateau de Tarascon
Where to Rent a Car in Nice
Nice is a beautiful city but we were keen to get on the road so we decided to spend one night in Nice after flying in and then set off early the next morning. We recommend booking your car rental through this search tool as it’s hassle free and always has plenty of providers to choose from with reasonable prices.
This road trip starts in Nice and ends in Toulouse so keep in mind that there will be an extra fee for returning the car in a different location.
One can never buy too many lavender sachets!
Driving from Nice to Moustiers-Sainte-Marie via the Gorges du Verdon
If you type “Nice to Moustiers” into Google maps, it will come up with the most direct route which takes just over 2 hours and passes through Cannes. The route we decided to take is a longer and slower drive (3 hours), but the extra time is 100% worth it!
We chose to take a route that passes through pretty villages, scenic mountain roads and best of all it runs straight through the spectacular Gorges du Verdon, also known as the Grand Canyon of Europe. The views along this route are absolutely breathtaking and possibly the best of the entire France road trip!
As you make your way toward the Gorges du Verdon, you’ll pass lovely little villages like Gréolières
Below are the exact driving directions for the route we followed including all stops along the way. You’ll notice that the roads are very twisty and mountainous. If you’re a bit apprehensive about driving along the edge of a gorge with a sheer drop on one side, you may want to try a different route.
I was even a little nervous and had to close my eyes a few times (luckily I wasn’t driving) but I can assure you that the views are not worth missing out on!
We made our first stop in the mountain village of Gréolières to stretch our legs. You can easily pull over and take a walk up to the old church above the town for some nice views or grab a coffee in the town and continue driving. The next stop was in the small town of Comps-sur-Artuby where we had some lunch in a little cafe before starting the drive through the Gorges du Verdon.
The windy road that will take you through the gorge is called the D71 and it begins in Comps-sur-Artuby. As you make your way through the gorge there will undoubtedly be many spots you’d like to pull over for photos but as the roads are very narrow, there is a lack of space to stop most of the time.
The Balcon de la Mescla viewpoint – photos don’t do it justice!
Best Gorges du Verdon Viewpoints
Since you can’t pull over for every single view, I’ve saved you the hassle and listed the most epic Gorges du Verdon viewpoints in order so that you don’t miss the very best. You’ll also notice them marked on the map above.
- Balcon de la Mescla – An incredible viewing platform just as you enter the dramatic landscape of the gorge, there are no words to describe the view you will find there! There is plenty of room to leave your car at the entrance of this viewpoint.
- Verdon Gorge Viewpoint – On the edge of the windy road you’ll find this spectacular panoramic viewpoint at one of the highest points of the drive. There’s only a small area to pull over here so if it’s already full of other cars, you may be out of luck.
The jaw dropping Verdon Gorge viewpoint
- View of Aiguines Castle – As you descend from the gorge toward the town of Aiguines, you’ll turn a corner and immediately notice the most beautiful scene of Aiguines Castle and vineyard with the shimmering Lac de Sainte Croix as the backdrop. This is one of my favorite photos of the road trip! There’s a little pullout area just passed the view on your left where you can leave the car and walk back up the side of the road to take some photos.
- Pont du Galetas – Another absolute must-see view just before you enter the town of Moustiers. Once you cross the Pont du Galetas bridge there’s a car park to pull into on your left. This bridge is where you’ll find the most iconic and jaw dropping beautiful view of the Gorges du Verdon and the turquoise coloured lake!
Aiguines Castle view
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
After you finish driving through the Gorges du Verdon, you’ll likely arrive in Moustiers by the afternoon. You’ll have the rest of the day to explore the town and see the highlights listed below.
Truly one of the prettiest towns in France, Moustiers is nestled in between two limestone cliffs overlooking the valley and lake below. Rich in history and full of small town Provence charm, the beauty