The 15 Best Day Trips from Lyon
How far each place is, what to see there, and a plan for the day.
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There are 15 good day trips from Lyon, France, led by Geneva, Saint-Étienne, Grenoble. The closest is Saint-Chamond, about 45 min by car, and 2 of them fit into half a day. Below: drive times, distances, what to see, and a sample day plan.
Built from 15 nearby places, with sights from real traveler trips, on Packy AI. Last updated October 2026 by the Packy AI Travel Team.
Day trips from Lyon
- 1
Geneva, Switzerland
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 45 min by car112 km north-east of Lyon - 2
Saint-Étienne, France
Half-day tripAbout 1 hr by car50 km south-west of Lyon - 3
Grenoble, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car93 km south-east of Lyon - 4
Clermont-Ferrand, France
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 10 min by car137 km west of Lyon - 5
Valence, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 25 min by car92 km south of Lyon - 6
Chambéry, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car86 km east of Lyon - 7
Annecy, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 35 min by car101 km east of Lyon - 8
Chalon-sur-Saône, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 50 min by car115 km north of Lyon - 9
Bourg-en-Bresse, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 10 min by car59 km north-east of Lyon - 10
Roanne, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 20 min by car68 km north-west of Lyon - 11
Saint-Chamond, France
Half-day tripAbout 45 min by car40 km south-west of Lyon - 12
Montélimar, France
Full-day tripAbout 2 hr 5 min by car133 km south of Lyon - 13
Saint-Martin-d'Hères, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 30 min by car95 km south-east of Lyon - 14
Mâcon, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car63 km north of Lyon - 15
Romans-sur-Isère, France
Full-day tripAbout 1 hr 15 min by car80 km south of Lyon
A sample day: Lyon to Geneva
- 07:30Leave Lyon
- 09:15Arrive in Geneva (1 hr 45 min drive)
- 09:30Walk the centre of Geneva
- 11:30Lunch
- 12:45Explore the old town, markets and cafes of Geneva
- 15:15Head back to Lyon
- 17:00Home in Lyon
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
- What are the best day trips from Lyon?
- The best day trips from Lyon are Geneva, Saint-Étienne, Grenoble, Clermont-Ferrand, Valence. The closest is Saint-Chamond, about 45 min away by car.
- What is the closest day trip from Lyon?
- Saint-Chamond is the closest, 40 km south-west of Lyon, roughly 45 min by car. Best as a half-day trip.
- Where can I go within an hour of Lyon?
- 2 places are within about an hour's drive of Lyon: Saint-Chamond (45 min), Saint-Étienne (1 hr).
- What is the biggest city near Lyon for a day out?
- Geneva is the largest city in day-trip range, 112 km north-east of Lyon and about 1 hr 45 min by car. With that much to see, start early or stay the night.
- Where can I go for a weekend from Lyon?
- For a weekend away from Lyon, pick the places far enough to be worth a night: Clermont-Ferrand (137 km, 2 hr 10 min), Montélimar (133 km, 2 hr 5 min), Chalon-sur-Saône (115 km, 1 hr 50 min), Geneva (112 km, 1 hr 45 min). Closer places on this list work better as a single day.
- How far is too far for a day trip from Lyon?
- Up to about two hours each way keeps the day relaxed. The farthest place on this list is Clermont-Ferrand at 137 km, around 2 hr 10 min by car.
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