Paris and the Riviera
Paris to the French Riviera, One Way
Starting a trip in Paris and ending it in Cannes is common. Making it simple is less so, especially when you want to keep the same car.
The journey
Eight hours, three ways to spend them
By motorway, Paris and Cannes are nearly 900 kilometres apart. That is more than eight hours on the road, not counting stops. Longer on a Saturday in July, when the whole of France heads south at the same time.
Three options come up again and again. You can drive a car rented in Paris and return it on the coast. You can travel down with a chauffeur. Or you can take the train or a plane and find the car waiting when you arrive. None is best in absolute terms. It all depends on what you want from the journey.
At the wheel
Rent in Paris, return in Cannes or Nice
For many clients, the drive south is part of the trip. A day on the motorway, a night in Burgundy or Provence, and arriving on the coast at the wheel of the car you will keep all week.
This is possible because we operate in both regions. The car leaves from Paris and is returned in Cannes or Nice, without you having to drive it back. The one-way price is given in the quote, before you book.
Two points to settle when you order. The first is mileage: the journey alone comes to nearly 900 kilometres, which is several days of an ordinary mileage allowance. The one-way allowance is set in the quote. The second is the choice of model: a very low supercar is a pleasure on the back roads inland, less so over eight hours of motorway with luggage.
The usual requirements apply: a licence held for more than two years, a minimum age depending on the model, and a deposit. They are set out in our guide to rental requirements.
With a chauffeur
Travelling down without driving
Eight hours in an S-Class or a V-Class VIP is nothing like eight hours of driving. You work, you make calls, you sleep. For a family with a lot of luggage, it is also the only way to bring everything without shipping anything.
The chauffeur picks you up at your address in Paris and drops you at the villa or hotel door. For a group, the Sprinter VIP saves taking several cars. In the quote, we tell you how the day is organised: departure time, stops, and a change of driver if the journey calls for one.
Our vehicle comparison helps you choose according to the number of passengers and suitcases.
The combination
Train or plane, and the car on arrival
The direct TGV links Paris-Gare de Lyon to Nice, with a journey time that varies from one train to the next. The flight takes about an hour and a half. Either way, the car can be waiting when you arrive: delivered to Nice airport, to the station, or straight to the villa.
One combination comes up often: the passengers travel by train or plane, and the luggage goes down by road with a chauffeur. Everyone arrives travelling light, and the suitcases are already at the villa.
How the keys are handed over in Nice is described in our guide to car delivery in Nice, to your villa or hotel.
The calendar
The days to avoid
Saturdays in July and August are when most people set off on holiday, and the main roads south fill up as a result. Leaving on a weekday, or early in the morning, often changes how long the journey takes.
The big weeks on the coast matter too: the Cannes Film Festival in May, the Monaco Grand Prix in early June. During those weeks, the fleet available on the coast is booked several weeks ahead. A one-way trip arriving during the Festival needs booking early.
One booking
Paris and the Riviera, the same team
We regularly arrange stays that start in Paris and end in Cannes: the same contact, a single quote. In Paris, we offer vehicles with or without a chauffeur. On the coast, the rest of the stay follows: villa, yacht, concierge.
See also: car rental in Paris, a private chauffeur in Paris and the self-drive fleet.
Official sources: Bison Futé — official French traffic forecasts (in French)
Frequently asked questions
Can I rent a prestige car in Paris and return it in Cannes?
Yes. We operate in Paris and on the French Riviera, so you can collect the car in Paris and return it in Cannes or Nice. The one-way price is given in the quote.
How long does it take to drive from Paris to Cannes?
Allow a long day on the motorway, not counting stops, and more on the holiday getaway days.
Is the mileage allowance enough for a one-way trip from Paris to the French Riviera?
That is the point to settle when you book: the journey goes well beyond an ordinary daily mileage allowance. The one-way allowance is set in the quote, before you leave.
Can I travel from Paris to Cannes with a chauffeur?
Yes. An S-Class, a V-Class VIP or a Sprinter VIP picks you up in Paris and drops you on the French Riviera, so you can work or sleep on the way. How the day is organised, stops included, is set out in the quote.
Train, plane or car from Paris to Nice?
The train and the plane are faster than the car. The car wins when it is part of the stay, or when there is a lot of luggage.
Paris and the Riviera
Let us plan your trip south
Departure date, address in Paris, arrival address and number of bags: we suggest the right option.