The best electric vehicle road trips in France

Hallowed wine regions, historic cities, glimmering coastlines, remote and charming villages: road-tripping in France is a dream, and it will lead you to the most unexpected (and often lesser-known) places. Our advice: don’t follow the most direct route to your end destination. When you choose to take the scenic route, the landscapes feel like they’re all yours, the experiences are more authentic, and you leave space for discovery and connection.

Thanks to rapidly increasing charging networks from brands like IONITY, which operates Europe’s largest, fastest (up to 600kW) and most sustainable charging network, France is also one of the best countries to explore in an electric vehicle (EV). No need to sacrifice your desire to wander to make it to the nearest charger.

Here’s how to plan the ultimate EV road trip through France, including four of our favorite EV-friendly driving routes.

Why plan an EV road trip through France?

With an EV, you have the flexibility to stop off to explore that small village, take in that scenic vista or ask a local for a restaurant recommendation – all while reducing your environmental impact. A road trip is the perfect opportunity to make delightful, unexpected discoveries and connect with the people who live here.

Unlike flying, EVs emit zero carbon dioxide and other emissions. You’ll generally pay less to charge your EV than you would for gas, too.

How to plan your EV road trip

Most major car-hire companies across Europe now offer EVs. To maximize your time on the road, rent an EV that supports at least 75kW of rapid DC charging.

You’ll want to consider the proximity of chargers to your chosen driving route. Start by checking a charging network map, like the one on IONITY's website. With more than 1200 IONITY chargers compatible with all brands of EVs at 180 Locations across France, planning a road trip on or off the beaten path has never been easier. If you download their app, you can also find your nearest IONITY Location, start and end charging sessions, and set up payment methods in advance.

Charging your battery isn’t quite like filling up a fuel tank. EV drivers usually keep their battery charge between 20% and 80% for faster charging, since a battery charges more slowly when it’s almost full.

If you leave your car charging, set a timer to remind you when it will be full (you can see how long you have left to go on the vehicle’s display and in the IONITY App). Try to move your EV as soon as it’s finished charging so other drivers can charge quickly, too.

The best EV road trips in France

1. Bordeaux to Biarritz

Best for wine, oysters and Basque culture

Distance: 236 miles (380km) 
Duration: 4-5 days 

Begin in the UNESCO-listed city of Bordeaux, where you can get an excellent grounding in the art of the vine at the Cité du Vin, then head off around the city to explore its shady backstreets, hotels particuliers and grand squares. Next, drive out for a loop around the vineyards of the Médoc: you’ll lose count of the signs for local caves (wine cellars) offering tours and tastings. 

After a night (or two) in Bordeaux, spin down the Atlantic coast to Arcachon, an elegant seaside town renowned for its huîtres (oysters), overlooking its eponymous bay. Southwest of Arcachon looms one of the Atlantic Coast’s strangest sights: the mighty Dune du Pilat, the largest pile of sand this side of the Sahara. 

Next, drive south into the French Basque Country. The riverside town of Bayonne makes a great introduction to Basque culture: stop by the Basque museum and plenty of restaurants where you can sample pintxos, the Basque take on tapas. And don’t miss a visit to the Cathédrale Ste-Marie, a Gothic marvel whose towers dominate the town’s skyline. Biarritz marks your drive’s end. Since the 19th century, this elegant city’s seafront has been lined with magnificent Belle Époque hotels and townhouses. These days, it’s half glitzy summer getaway, half surfer’s hangout. 

Tips for EV drivers: EVs can be rented in Bordeaux and Biarritz. IONITY has locations in Bordeaux and Labenne, just before you reach Bayonne.

Where to stay: The InterContinental Le Grand Hotel is a Bordeaux landmark overlooking Place de la Comédie, with a swimming pool and spa. In Arcachon, the Hôtel d’Hiver is a Belle Époque beauty. Hôtel du Palais is the former home of Napoleon III and Empress Eugenie, its luxurious rooms offering Biarritz’s finest sea views.

2. Lyon to the Alps

Best for delicious meals and mountain adventures

Distance: 410 miles (660km) 
Duration: 4-5 days

Spend a day or two in Lyon before departing on your Alpine drive: stroll under the plane trees along riverside quays, eat at bistros tucked down the lanes of the 5th arrondissement and ride the funicular trundling up the hill crowned with its iconic white basilica. For meals, flock to the bouchons – the Lyonnais take on the bistro where pork features prominently, even in a salade Lyonnaise. 

Then head into the Alps, passing through Grenoble to the Col de l’Iseran mountain pass, around two national parks and over the highest road pass in the Alps (plus two others in the top 15). Skirting round the massif of the Écrins National Park, you come at last to Briançon, a worthy place for an overnight stop, and one of the most obsessively fortified places in the world. Snake up to the 8668ft (2642m) Col du Galibier, with the sharp summit of La Meije to your back. Then it’s a heady ascent through the majesty of Vanoise National Park to the Col de l’Iseran at 9088ft (2770m). 

Briefly pass through neighboring Italy via the Little St Bernard Pass, and into Switzerland via the Great St Bernard Pass to loop back under Europe’s tallest mountain (outside the Caucasus), Mont Blanc. Still your motor among the chalets and mountaineering monuments of Chamonix, whose glacier-draped slopes convey nothing but awe.

Tips for EV drivers: Planning ahead for where to find the next charger is especially important in the French Alps, not just because of faster power consumption on steep roads, but because fewer chargers are available away from main motorway routes. With the IONITY Network and app, drivers can easily anticipate these mountainous areas and plan their charging stops with confidence. Along this route, you’ll find IONITY Locations in Lyon, Ile Rose, Seyssins and Arclusaz, as well as Martigny in Switzerland. 

Where to stay: In Briançon, the Hotel de la Chaussée is a centrally located three-star option with chunky Alpine furnishings. For a unique stay in Val d’Isère, try Le Refuge de Solaise – a smartly converted ski-lift station up at 8369ft (2551m), with road access in summer. The best rooms at La Sapinière in Chamonix have views of Mont Blanc.

3. The Côte d’Azur

Best for iconic art and coastal glamour 

Distance: 44 miles (70km) 
Duration: 2 days 

The Côte d’Azur is named for the Mediterranean horizons that stretch along its coastal roads, but its hilltop villages, exotic foliage and art collections add more color to the palette. Running for over a mile along the bay at Cannes, the Croisette passes monuments to glamour both vintage – such as the 1911 Carlton InterContinental Hotel – and more recent, like the angular convention center where the film festival is held. 

Follow the art trail en route to Nice, stopping in the old Provençal hilltop village of Mougins for its photography center; and then on to see works by Picasso, honored in two different castle-museums just 4 miles apart: the Musée National Pablo Picasso in Vallauris and Musée Picasso in Antibes. For some different sightseeing on the way into Nice, consider Parc Phoenix, whose tropical plants make great use of the microclimate, with assorted parrots, flamingos, lemurs and wallabies completing the picture. Running right past is Nice’s Promenade des Anglais, which continues most of the way along the city’s 3-mile (5km) curve of beach. With a day in Nice, you’re bound to be sucked back into the art vortex, whether at the Musée Matisse or the contemporary collections of MAMAC.

The last stage of the drive is the most cinematic: with three parallel Corniches to choose from (Grande giving lofty views from the top, Petite down by the seaside, and Moyenne in between at the heart of the landscape), you must either choose two for outbound and return, or pick and mix, using connecting roads. Monaco’s yacht-filled harbor is the place to do a victory lap. 

Tip for EV drivers: Even while exploring the peaceful coastal Corniches, an ultra-fast IONITY charger at the Bréguières Nord Location remains conveniently close and easily accessible via a short detour to the A8.

Where to stay: In Cannes, the three-star Villa Claudia is a pastel-pink mansion from 1872, with chargers located just across the road. Hôtel La Pérouse in Nice doesn’t have on-site parking, but its view of the coast is perhaps the best in town.

4. Caen to Tours

Best for châteaux, World War II history and half-timbered houses

Distance: 178 miles (286km) 
Duration: 3-4 days

Begin your journey in Caen, whose Mémorial de Caen is justifiably regarded as one of Europe’s best World War II museums. Heading south to Falaise, you can visit the site of William the Conqueror’s birth, Château de Falaise, which lords over the town from atop a rugged outcrop. Then head down into the medieval streets to visit the powerful Falaise Memorial, which details civilian life during World War II. 

Back on the road, it’s worth a stop in Sées to visit its ornate Gothic cathedral and episcopal palace. Weave along the rolling backcountry roads of the Mancelles Alps to Saint-Céneri-le-Gérei on the River Sarthe; the village’s jumble of narrow, cottage-lined streets, charismatically set between forested hills, were once a favorite of Impressionist painters. It’s only 40 minutes to Le Mans, home to the famous 24-hour car race and a handsome medieval core. Then head south on the D307 for 50 minutes to reach Château du Lude, the most northerly of the Loire Valley châteaux and an Italian Renaissance masterpiece with six towers, a dry moat and lavish private apartments. Stop for a traditional lunch at the Auberge des Isles on the riverfront, then continue on for an hour to Tours. 

From Place Plumereau at the heart of Tours’ medieval quarter, narrow cobbled streets flanked by half-timbered houses fan out to the Gothic Cathédrale St-Gatien, with its exquisitely detailed facade and soaring nave. Nearby, the Musée des Beaux-Arts shows work by Degas, Monet, Rembrandt and Rubens. Pick up some local nougat, dried pears or rillettes, and park yourself at a riverfront bar.

Tips for EV drivers: The nearest international airport to Caen is in Paris, where you can rent electric vehicles. Along this route, you’ll find IONITY Locations in Caen, Le Mans and Tours.

Where to stay in Caen: In Caen, Clos Saint-Martin offers handsome rooms in an old mansion, while just outside Alençon, stunning Château de Saint-Paterne has chic guestrooms, an outdoor pool and oodles of character. La Demeure de Laclais is a characterful guesthouse in Le Mans’ historic quarter, with free parking nearby; in Tours, La Maison Jules is a 19th-century mansion in the cathedral district, with a leafy terrace and garden.

Carefully crafted collaboratively between IONITY and Lonely Planet. Both parties provided research and curated content to produce this story. We disclose when information isn’t ours.