1Lyon
Base · 3 days
The region’s strongest city break and the only genuinely flexible rail base: come for bouchons, serious modern dining, Roman Fourvière, Croix-Rousse and the riverbanks. Do not spend the whole visit in tourist-packed Vieux Lyon.
first-timersfoodiesarchitecture lovers
Annecy and Lake Annecy
2Annecy and Lake Annecy
Base · 2 days
The best polished lake-and-mountain base in the region, with a walkable old town, swimming, cycling and boat access without needing to rough it. It is deservedly popular, but expensive and crowded in high summer.
couplesfamiliesfirst-time Alpine visitors
3Chamonix-Mont-Blanc
Base · 2–3 days
Come for the vertical scale: Mont Blanc views, glacier country, major lifts and trailheads that make other Alpine valleys look tame. Treat it as a destination base rather than a quick extension from Lyon, and keep lift days weather-flexible.
hikersskiersclimbers
Beaujolais and the northern Rhône wine country
4Beaujolais and the northern Rhône wine country
Short stop · 1 day
This is Lyon’s worthwhile wine escape: cru Beaujolais villages, Côte-Rôtie slopes, Condrieu whites and long lunches among vines. A car, guide or designated driver makes the difference between merely tasting wine and actually seeing the landscape.
foodieswine travelerscouples
Grenoble, Chartreuse and Vercors
5Grenoble, Chartreuse and Vercors
Base · 2–3 days
Grenoble is a functional but capable base for mountains, with the Vercors delivering limestone cliffs, plateau villages and gorges rather than resort-town gloss. Bring or rent a car if you want the best walks and roads beyond the city.
hikerscyclistsclimbers
Clermont-Ferrand and the Chaîne des Puys
6Clermont-Ferrand and the Chaîne des Puys
Base · 3–4 days
The region’s most distinctive inland landscape: a dark volcanic-stone city beside an accessible chain of dormant volcanoes. Base here for Puy de Dôme hikes and volcanic scenery; rent a car to get beyond the obvious viewpoints.
hikersfamiliesgeology enthusiasts
Ardèche Gorge and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc
7Ardèche Gorge and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc
Base · 2 days
Hot limestone river country built for canoeing, swimming and the Pont d’Arc, with Chauvet 2 adding a serious prehistoric stop. It is a car-dependent summer destination, and the river is busy rather than wild in July and August.
familiesactive travelerscanoeists
Drôme and the Diois
8Drôme and the Diois
Base · 2 days
A slower, quieter southern road-trip country of Clairette de Die, goat cheese, swimming spots and pre-Alpine roads. Skip it if you want headline monuments; choose it for food, cycling and unhurried driving.
foodieswine travelerscyclists
Le Puy-en-Velay and Haute-Loire
9Le Puy-en-Velay and Haute-Loire
Base · 2 days
A strange and memorable volcanic-roots town where chapels and statues perch on rock pinnacles, with the Via Podiensis walking tradition built into the place. It merits two nights, not a rushed detour between Lyon and the Alps.
walkerspilgrimsphotographers
Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains and Lac du Bourget
10Chambéry, Aix-les-Bains and Lac du Bourget
Savoie’s calmer alternative to Annecy: a historic town, a Belle Époque spa base and a big lake for swimming and boat days. It lacks Annecy’s instant visual punch but is a better fit for travelers who dislike crowds.
couplesspa travelersrepeat visitors
Cantal and Salers
11Cantal and Salers
Choose this for the rawest rural Auvergne: old volcanic highlands, cattle country, stone villages and food that makes sense only after a day outdoors. It is remote and weather-sensitive, so it rewards drivers who can stay longer than a night.
drivershikersrural-France enthusiasts
Sample routes
First-time northern Alps
7 daysLyon (3 days) → Annecy and Lake Annecy (2 days) → Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (2 days)
The cleanest first visit without a car: Lyon supplies the city and food, Annecy handles lake time, and Chamonix delivers the full Alpine spectacle. It is already a busy itinerary—do not dilute it with Grenoble or Geneva-side detours.
Plan this routeFood, wine and volcanoes
10 daysLyon (3 days) → Beaujolais and the northern Rhône wine country (1 day) → Clermont-Ferrand and the Chaîne des Puys (4 days) → Le Puy-en-Velay and Haute-Loire (2 days)
For travelers who would rather eat, drink and walk than chase Alpine resort scenery. Use Lyon for serious dining, spend a night among the vines if driving, then give the volcanoes enough time to justify the transfer before finishing in Le Puy’s odd, theatrical landscape.
Plan this routeSouthern river-and-road trip
10 daysLyon (3 days) → Ardèche Gorge and Vallon-Pont-d’Arc (2 days) → Drôme and the Diois (2 days) → Grenoble, Chartreuse and Vercors (3 days)
A car-only route for canoeing, swims, wine country and limestone mountain roads rather than city hopping. Base in Vallon-Pont-d’Arc for the gorge, use the Diois as a deliberately slow stop, then give the Vercors enough time for real walks instead of a windshield tour.
Plan this routeTwo-week Alps and Auvergne circuit
14 daysLyon (3 days) → Beaujolais and the northern Rhône wine country (1 day) → Annecy and Lake Annecy (2 days) → Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (3 days) → Grenoble, Chartreuse and Vercors (2 days) → Clermont-Ferrand and the Chaîne des Puys (3 days)
The most coherent broad first circuit, moving from Lyon into the northern Alps and then west to volcanic Auvergne. A car makes the mountain and wine-country sections much easier; leave it outside central Lyon. It is full enough without forcing in Ardèche, Cantal or southern Drôme.
Plan this route