Epic Grand Tour of France: 14 Days by High-Speed Rail

This busy fourteen-day route links Paris, Normandy, Tours, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Avignon, Lyon and Nice. Several stops get only one night. Omit Lyon or add nights if you want fewer long travel days.

France · Published planning example

The Eiffel Tower above Paris rooftops beneath a pink evening sky — Paris, France

Duration: 14 days
Travel style: Mid Range

Day-by-day itinerary

Open a day to read the plan and its spending notes.

Day 1Arrival in Paris and Seine Walk

Paris
Arrive in Paris, settle into your base, and stroll along the Seine bridges past Notre-Dame.

€140 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €205.00
Day 2Louvre and Historic Marais

Paris
Morning at the Louvre Museum followed by an afternoon exploring Le Marais boutiques and bakeries.

€140 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €205.00
Day 3Montmartre and Eiffel Sunset

Paris
Climb to Sacre-Coeur in the morning. Evening picnic on Champ de Mars watching the Eiffel Tower light show.

€140 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €205.00
Day 4Travel towards Mont-Saint-Michel

Normandy

Normandy, France

Treat this as a move into Normandy, with an overnight near the Mont-Saint-Michel approach or a useful connection. Book the whole rail-and-bus journey from Paris, then reserve the abbey only if arrival leaves enough time. The abbey stands on the tidal island, not a distant clifftop. Do not book a same-day return to Paris for this moving-base route.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 5Continue to Tours

Tours

Tours, France

Keep the move from the Mont-Saint-Michel area to Tours for travel and check-in. Check connections from your actual overnight town. A Chenonceau visit works better with an extra Tours night than a timed entry after a long arrival.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 6Travel to Bordeaux

Bordeaux
Use the complete Tours or Saint-Pierre-des-Corps to Bordeaux journey shown for your date. After leaving bags, walk towards the river and Place de la Bourse. Leave a booked wine visit for tomorrow.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 7A planned Saint-Émilion visit

Bordeaux
Check the return train and allow for the uphill walk from the station. Reserve one church or cellar visit if it matters to you, then leave time for lunch. Choose an alcohol-free stop if tasting does not interest you.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 8Travel to Toulouse

Toulouse
Allow around two and a half hours on a suitable Bordeaux–Toulouse train, plus station journeys. Walk around Place du Capitole after check-in and choose dinner from a menu with clear prices.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 9Travel to Avignon

Avignon
Check the complete Toulouse–Avignon connection and the arrival station. Keep a palace visit for a full day unless the train leaves plenty of time. An evening walk within the walls is enough after moving rooms.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 10Choose the palace or Pont du Gard

Avignon
Give Palais des Papes a full morning if that is your priority. Pont du Gard needs a separate bus or organised trip with a return that fits, so choose between them if time is short. Follow current signs for riverside access and swimming.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 11Travel north to Lyon

Lyon
This route turns north to Lyon before returning southeast to Nice. Keep the day for the train, check-in and a meal, with Vieux Lyon as a short walk if arrival allows. To reduce travel, omit Lyon and rebook Avignon to Nice.

€110 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €175.00
Day 12Continue to Nice

Nice
Check the complete Lyon–Nice departure and any changes. Leave bags before the promenade and an easy meal. Keep a timed lift, boat or museum visit away from this arrival afternoon.

€120 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €185.00
Day 13Monaco as a day return

Nice
Take a suitable regional train from Nice and allow about 25 minutes on board. Choose the station exit nearest your first stop, then walk around the harbour or palace square. Ticketed palace and casino areas have their own access rules. Return to the same Nice room tonight.

€120 for one whole private room, €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €185.00
Day 14Nice breakfast and departure

Nice
Visit Cours Saleya only if the relevant market is open and your departure leaves time. Otherwise choose breakfast near the room, collect the bags and follow the actual airport or station connection.

No overnight stay; €47 for meals, €10 for local travel and €8 for extras. Add paid visits, excursions and intercity or airport tickets. These are chosen allowances; use your actual bookings.

Estimated day spending: €65.00

Arrange the overnight stops first

This busy fourteen-day route links Paris, Normandy, Tours, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Avignon, Lyon and Nice. Several stops get only one night. Omit Lyon or add nights if you want fewer long travel days. Match the main journeys to the room locations, then book the visits you most want. Keep arrival afternoons flexible.

Destination details

Paris · Normandy · Tours · Bordeaux · Toulouse · Avignon · Lyon · Nice. These guides explain local arrivals, admission choices and practical places to start.

Build the budget from nights and days

The day figures add up to €2,450.00 for one traveller, before the extra costs listed below. The day notes show the stay, meals, local travel and small extras separately. A private-room allowance buys the whole room; divide that part only when sharing. A final day in these destinations has no overnight allowance. These are chosen spending plans, not measured averages or available room offers.

Add paid visits, day-trip transport, intercity tickets and airport journeys. Replace the stay line with your full booking cost, including taxes and cleaning. Do not add the city budget cards on top of these day amounts; they are an alternative way to plan the same spending.

Itinerary route

Swipe to follow the full route.

1
Paris Day 1 to 3
2
Normandy Day 4
3
Tours Day 5
4
Bordeaux Day 6 to 7
5
Toulouse Day 8
6
Avignon Day 9 to 10
7
Lyon Day 11
8
Nice Day 12 to 14

Journeys between stops

How to get from one stop to the next. Journey times are approximate; use the ticket and timetable links to choose a departure for your travel date.