The TGV is faster, no question. But to board a cruise with the whole family, reach a house in the Luberon or travel as seven with all your summer luggage, the road makes a strong case.
about €388 per person with 4 passengers
An honest comparison
From your front door to your destination address, with no changes and no luggage to carry.
3h 10min on the train, plus around 1h 30min to get to the station, wait for departure and complete the journey at the other end.
Let’s be clear: the TGV takes just over three hours between Paris and Marseille, and for a solo traveller the car makes no sense. It becomes worthwhile for six or seven people in a van (the price per person drops sharply), for a cruise with lots of luggage, for a house in Provence far from the stations, with a pet, or when trains are full or disrupted.
It is the classic French holiday drive: the A6 to Lyon, then the A7 along the Rhône, past Valence, Montélimar and Orange, all the way to the Mediterranean. Seven and a half hours on the road, three breaks, and scenery that shifts from the forests of Île-de-France to olive groves.
On a trip this long, organisation is everything. We go through or around Lyon depending on the time, plan breaks at service areas chosen in advance and set the pace around the passengers. With children, a very early start often means a good part of the journey happens while they sleep.
This route is especially popular for cruise embarkations: arriving at the terminal with all your suitcases, without lugging them from platform to platform or depending on a late TGV, is a stress-free start to the holiday.
The other big request is holiday homes. Aix-en-Provence, Cassis, the Luberon, the Alpilles: the TGV leaves you at the station, the car drops you at the gate.
The road log
0 km
55 km
Toll
A6 toll plaza on the way out of Île-de-France. Tolls are included in the quote.
315 km
Rest stop
The first proper break, in Burgundy, about 3h after departure.
465 km
Landmark
Through or around the city depending on the time: the key point of the journey.
615 km
Rest stop
Second break in the Drôme, home of nougat. This is where Provence begins.
745 km
Rest stop
A final stop overlooking the Étang de Berre lagoon, half an hour from Marseille.
775 km · 7h 30min
Unique to this route
Marseille is often the starting point for a stay in Provence. Here are the nearby destinations our clients most often choose as their final address.
The harbour and the calanques, east of Marseille.
In Marignane, if you have a flight to catch.
The Cours Mirabeau, the fountains and Mont Sainte-Victoire.
Beaches and vineyards on the way to Toulon.
The Luberon, its hilltop villages and holiday homes.
The Alpilles, among olive groves and Provençal farmhouses.
The route
775 kilometres via A6 · A7. 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
From April to October, one liner after another docks at the terminal. Drop-off at the foot of the ship with all your suitcases.
July and August, but also June and September, when the roads are quieter. From your front door to the front of the house.
For a group of supporters, the seven-seat van is a simple solution: outbound trip, match and return all organised.
Our estimate is around €1,550 for 775 km, or about €390 per person for four and about €220 per person for seven in a van. The final price depends on the addresses and time of travel.
Usually three: in Burgundy, the Drôme and Provence. You can ask for more.
Yes, right outside your ship’s terminal, with a comfortable margin before the boarding deadline.
Yes, it is even recommended in summer to avoid the traffic jams. The children sleep on board and you arrive in the morning.
Yes, give us your final address and the estimate will be recalculated based on the actual distance.
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.