{"id":17816,"date":"2020-07-14T10:10:00","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T08:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/touristearcom.bigscoots-staging.com\/?p=17816"},"modified":"2026-06-19T15:06:53","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T13:06:53","slug":"road-trip-10-day-south-of-france","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/touristear.com\/en\/road-trip-10-day-south-of-france\/","title":{"rendered":"Road Trip along the French Riviera in 10 Days"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Thinking about driving the French Riviera? This is one of the most complete road trips you can do in the south of France: medieval villages, historic cities, the glamour of the Riviera, and mountain scenery, all in one itinerary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s the route we took, starting from Madrid \u2014 towns and cities along the French Riviera, what to see, where to stay, practical tips, and what we’d do differently. Ideal for planning without surprises.
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\"road<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Practical information before you go<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Best time to go:<\/strong> June or September. July and August are busier and hotter, especially in Monaco, Cannes, and St Tropez. In June the weather is perfect and prices drop significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tolls:<\/strong> the south of France has a lot of toll roads. For a Madrid\u2013French Riviera\u2013back trip, budget around \u20ac80\u2013120 total depending on the route. Card payment is accepted on every lane. If you’re driving through often, a t\u00e9l\u00e9p\u00e9age badge (Sanef or similar) saves time, though not money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parking in Nice:<\/strong> your best bet is the Saleya parking in the old town or Parking Mass\u00e9na (covered). Avoid driving along the Promenade des Anglais in high season \u2014 it’s chaos. Average rate: \u20ac2\u20133\/hour, \u20ac15\u201320\/day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Parking in Monaco:<\/strong> the Casino parking (the most central spot) gives you the first hour free if you spend something at the casino or nearby shops. In high season, arrive before 10am. Public parking runs about \u20ac4\/hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where to stay on the French Riviera:<\/strong> book months in advance if you’re going in July-August. Nice is the most practical and affordable base for exploring the area. See accommodation on the French Riviera \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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\"10-day<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

10-day French Riviera itinerary: overview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Day<\/th>Stop<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
1<\/td>Madrid \u2192 Girona + Peratallada<\/td><\/tr>
2<\/td>Perpignan + Castelnou<\/td><\/tr>
3<\/td>Lagrasse + Carcassonne<\/td><\/tr>
4<\/td>Minerve + St Guilhem le D\u00e9sert + Montpellier<\/td><\/tr>
5<\/td>Montpellier + N\u00eemes<\/td><\/tr>
6<\/td>Orange + Avignon<\/td><\/tr>
7<\/td>Marseille<\/td><\/tr>
8<\/td>St Tropez + Cannes<\/td><\/tr>
9<\/td>Nice<\/td><\/tr>
10<\/td>Monaco + St Agn\u00e8s + Eze + Grasse + Les Baux de Provence<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 1 \u2013 Madrid \u203a Girona \u203a Peratallada<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"alley<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

We left Madrid and spent the first night in Girona, where we also visited friends. If you haven’t been to Girona, it’s worth dedicating an afternoon to it: the Jewish Quarter, the medieval walls, and the Call neighborhood are among its must-sees. We cover it in detail in our Girona guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peratallada is just over 30 km from Girona and is one of those villages that leaves you speechless. It feels like something out of a medieval novel: stone streets, arched houses, and a castle that dominates the village. We visited in the afternoon and had dinner right there \u2014 highly recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See accommodation in Girona<\/a> (the outskirts are cheaper and the drive to France is easy from there)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Day 2 \u2013 Perpignan \u203a Castelnou<\/h3>\n\n\n
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\"route<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

TOur first French stop: Perpignan. A very pleasant city to explore on foot, with a mix of Catalan and French influence that shows in its architecture and atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t miss:<\/p>\n\n\n\n