Distances and driving times from Paris
| Destination | Distance and driving time | Ideal stage |
|---|---|---|
| Chambord | About 2 hours by the A10 (exits 16 Mer or 17 Blois) | Morning, before the crowds |
| Chenonceau | 214 km, about 2 hours by the A10 (Blois or Amboise exits) | After Amboise, or the next day |
| Giverny | About 75 km west of Paris | Half a day, on the way to Normandy |
| Honfleur | About 200 km, 2 hours 15 by the A13 (toll) | Base for Étretat |
| Étretat | About 45 km beyond Honfleur via the Pont de Normandie (toll) | Next morning |
| D-Day beaches | About 3 hours' drive each way | Two days, with a night in Bayeux |
| Mont-Saint-Michel | About 360 km, 4 hours by the A13 then the A84 | See our dedicated guide |
Sources: the official Chenonceau and Chambord websites, and our excursion guides; times vary with traffic. The A10 and A13 are toll roads: calculate the amount with your app's calculator or the operator's before leaving, as we do not publish an unverified figure.
When the car is the right choice
| Situation | Car | Train | Coach tour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seeing Chambord | Yes: no station | Coach or taxi from Blois | Included in the tours |
| Two or three châteaux in a day | Yes | Possible but awkward | Yes, but 12 to 13 hours including about 5 hours on the road |
| Travelling as 3 or 4 | Often more flexible | Tickets multiplied by the number of travellers | To compare |
| Solo or as a couple, one stop | Not necessary | Yes, via Tours or Amboise | Yes |
| Honfleur and Étretat | Yes: no station | Train and regional coach (about 3 hours) | Yes, with Rouen |
A guided tour wins when you do not want to drive (see our comparisons of Loire tours and D-Day beaches). The car wins as soon as you want to sleep on site: the 12 to 13 hour coach day generally leaves 1 to 2 hours per château; two days give you more time on site.
The Loire châteaux in two days
- Day 1, morning: leave Paris early by the A10. For Chambord, exit 16 (Mer) or 17 (Blois). Car park P0 or P2 costs €8 a day for a car, paid at the machines on arrival (official site rate, October 2026). For the château's opening hours and prices, see our tour comparison.
- Day 1, afternoon: Blois (lunch), then Amboise, about 52 km from Chambord and 43 minutes by road according to a route site. Sleep in Amboise or Tours.
- Day 2: Chenonceau in the morning (the station is 400 m from the ticket office, according to the official site), then back to Paris by the A10.
The Sunday evening return is the busiest time on the A10: leave early or sleep on site.
Normandy by car: two itineraries
Honfleur and Étretat (2 days)
Take the A13 to Honfleur (about 200 km, 2 hours 15), then sleep by the Vieux Bassin. The next day the Pont de Normandie leads to Étretat (about 45 km). Our Honfleur-Étretat weekend gives hotels by budget.
Giverny, then the coast
Giverny (about 75 km from Paris) fits into half a day before continuing to the coast; see Giverny from Paris. For the D-Day beaches plan two days: about 3 hours' drive each way from Paris, which means a whole day in the car if you do the round trip. Mont-Saint-Michel is covered in its guide, with the car parks.
Renting the car in Paris
Picking up the car in the right place avoids paying for it for nothing: at a station on departure day, or at the airport if you arrive by plane. Compare companies in Paris, at Roissy-CDG or at Orly. Our airport car rental guide covers the Crit'Air sticker, deposit, insurance and fuel. When leaving Paris, check the ZFE rules: the sticker is compulsory to drive inside the zone, with no penalty until 31 December 2026 according to the Métropole du Grand Paris.
Going further
- Day trips from Paris: all the day trips.
- Paris train stations: for the Loire by train.
- Weekends from Paris by train: without driving.
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