Car with driver
4h 30min
From your front door to your destination address, with no changes and no luggage to carry.
Paris → Lyon on the Autoroute du Soleil
Paris to Lyon by private chauffeur
The Autoroute du Soleil, from the forest of Fontainebleau to the Beaujolais vineyards. In four and a half hours, your chauffeur drops you where the TGV does not go: Eurexpo, the western suburbs of Lyon or right at the foot of the ski slopes.
- Distance
- 465 km
- Driving time
- 4h 30min
- Route
- A6
- Estimate
- €930
about €233 per person with 4 passengers
The road log
Paris → Lyon, kilometre by kilometre
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Péage de Fleury-en-Bière
Toll · 55 kmA6 toll plaza on the edge of the forest of Fontainebleau. Tolls are included in the quote.
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Aire de Venoy
Rest stop · 165 kmNear Auxerre, about 1h 45min after departure: the first break of the journey.
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Aire de Beaune-Tailly
Rest stop · 315 kmIn the heart of the Burgundy vineyards. A second break, or a lunch stop in Beaune.
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Mâcon
Landmark · 395 kmThe A6 follows the Saône. About 45 minutes left to central Lyon.
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Péage de Villefranche-Limas
Toll · 430 kmThe last toll plaza, at the gateway to the Beaujolais.
The A6, from Fontainebleau to the Beaujolais
We leave Paris through Porte d’Italie onto the A6, the Autoroute du Soleil ("Motorway of the Sun"). It crosses the forest of Fontainebleau, the Yonne around Auxerre and the Morvan, then the Côte-d’Or and its vineyards near Beaune, before following the Saône past Mâcon and Villefranche.
The trip is comfortable with two breaks: the first near Auxerre, the second in Burgundy. For a leisure trip, a lunch stop in Beaune turns the journey into a mini break.
Getting into Lyon calls for the right route. The Fourvière tunnel is often congested: for Eurexpo, Part-Dieu or the airport, we go round to the east. For the Presqu’île or Old Lyon (Vieux-Lyon), we take the shortest way in for the time of day.
Lyon is also the gateway to the Alps. Many of our clients carry on to Annecy, Courchevel, Val d’Isère or Les Deux Alpes without changing vehicles: one driver, one boot, from Paris all the way to the chalet.
An honest comparison
Door to door: private car or train?
VS
Train, door to door
3h 25min
1h 55min on the train, plus around 1h 30min to get to the station, wait for departure and complete the journey at the other end.
Our straight-talking verdict
The TGV links Paris and Lyon in under two hours: for a solo traveller going from Gare de Lyon to Part-Dieu, it is unbeatable. A car with driver comes out ahead for four people with luggage, with children, for an address far from the stations (Eurexpo, Monts d’Or, Beaujolais), and above all if you are carrying on to the Alps.
Unique to this route
Beyond Lyon: on to the Alps in the same car
In winter, many of our Paris–Lyon trips carry on into the mountains. Here are the extra distances from Lyon to the most popular destinations.
Chambéry
+100 kmGateway to Savoie, and the way through to the Tarentaise and Maurienne valleys.
Grenoble
+110 kmCapital of the Alps, with access to Isère resorts such as Chamrousse and Alpe d’Huez.
Annecy
+140 kmThe lake, the old town, and the Aravis mountains half an hour away.
Les Deux Alpes
+165 kmA resort in the Oisans, with its own glacier.
Courchevel
+190 kmThe Three Valleys. Let us know about your ski equipment so we can provide the right vehicle.
Val d’Isère
+230 kmAt the far end of the Tarentaise. Paris to Val d’Isère in one go, door to door.
The route
Paris → Lyon on the map
465 kilometres via A6. The line on this map follows the route we take in normal traffic; it may vary with the time of day and road conditions.
Calendar
The best times to travel to Lyon
The Festival of Lights
Around 8 December, the city lights up for four evenings. The centre is closed to traffic: we agree a drop-off point with you.
Trade fairs at Eurexpo
Sirha in January in odd-numbered years, Pollutec, Equita: Eurexpo is poorly served by rail, and the car drops you right outside the hall.
Ski season
From December to April, Paris–Lyon becomes Paris–Alps. One single trip to the resort, with no station transfer.
Where we drop you off in Lyon
- 01 Part-Dieu, its business district and its station.
- 02 The Presqu’île, Bellecour, Confluence and Old Lyon.
- 03 Eurexpo in Chassieu and the Groupama Stadium in Décines.
- 04 The Cité Internationale and the conference centre.
- 05 Lyon-Saint-Exupéry Airport and the Alpine ski resorts.
Good to know before you set off
- → Lyon has a low emission zone (ZFE). Vehicle compliance is our responsibility, and we drop you wherever you like.
- → The Fourvière tunnel is the bottleneck on arrival: we avoid it depending on the time and your destination.
- → On Fridays when the holidays start, the A6 is rated "red" by Bison Futé, the French traffic forecast service: we will suggest an off-peak departure.
- → If you are carrying on to the Alps in winter, mention your ski equipment: we will provide the right vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a private driver from Paris to Lyon? +
Our estimate is around €930 for 465 km, or about €230 per person for four. The final price depends on the addresses and time of travel.
How many breaks are there on the way? +
Usually two, near Auxerre and in Burgundy. You can ask for more, especially with children.
Can we carry on to a ski resort? +
Yes, it is very popular in winter. Annecy, Courchevel, Méribel or Val d’Isère: tell us the resort and we will recalculate the estimate.
Can we stop for lunch in Beaune? +
Yes, Beaune is two minutes from the motorway. Add the stop to your request; the waiting time is included in the quote.
Can you drop us at Saint-Exupéry Airport? +
Yes, right at the terminal, without going through central Lyon. Allow about 4h 15min from Paris.
Your Paris → Lyon trip, priced in 2 minutes
The calculator already includes the distance for this trip: just add your addresses, date, number of passengers and luggage. We then confirm the price and the vehicle.