Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is France's most geographically dramatic region, combining the ancient volcanic landscapes of the Massif Central with the highest peaks in the Alps. Lyon, its capital, is consistently ranked among the world's great food cities and is the birthplace of cinema. The region spans skiing at Chamonix and the Trois Vallées, lakeside beauty at Annecy, Roman heritage in Lyon, the volcanic chains of the Auvergne, and one of Europe's finest hiking networks.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Chamonix and Aiguille du Midi from Lyon
Highlights: Aiguille du Midi cable car (3,842 m): two-stage ascent to panoramic terraces above the snowline with 360-degree views of the Mont Blanc massif and surrounding Alps · Mer de Glace: Europe's largest glacier, accessible by the historic Montenvers cog railway from Chamonix town centre (approx €30 round trip) · Step Into the Void glass-floored viewing box suspended 1,000 metres above the Chamonix Valley at the summit terrace · Balcon Sud trail: accessible mountain walk with unobstructed Mont Blanc views, no cable car required · Old town of Chamonix: glacier-view restaurant terraces, Musée Alpin, and specialist alpine outdoor shops
Annecy and Lac d'Annecy from Lyon
Highlights: Canal du Thiou and Vieille Ville: medieval canal quarter with the Palais de l'Isle prison island and arcaded Rue Sainte-Claire market street · Lac d'Annecy: one of Europe's cleanest natural lakes with sandy beaches, kayak hire, and lake cruise departures from the town quay · Château d'Annecy: hillside fortress with panoramic lake views housing the Musée Régional d'Annecy (€6 entry) · Lakeside cycle path to Talloires: 14 km flat route through waterfront villages, bike hire available near the station (approx €12–15 half-day) · Covered market on Rue Sainte-Claire: local Savoyard produce, freshwater fish, and regional cheeses (Tue–Sun mornings)
Beaujolais Wine Route from Lyon
Highlights: Beaujolais Crus: ten named villages (Morgon, Fleurie, Moulin-à-Vent, Juliénas, Brouilly) producing the region's most distinctive Gamay wines · Cave coopérative tastings: free or low-cost dégustation at village cooperatives throughout the Crus zone · Via Rhôna cycle route: flat EuroVelo 17 path following the Saône northward through vineyards from Belleville-sur-Saône · Beaujolais Nouveau release: annual street festival on the third Thursday of November, centred on Beaujeu and Villefranche-sur-Saône · Historic village of Beaujeu: former capital of Beaujolais with a Romanesque church and wine museum in the old town
Gorges de l'Ardèche from Lyon
Highlights: Pont d'Arc: natural limestone arch spanning 60 metres across the Ardèche river, accessible via a 20-minute walk from the main car park · D290 panoramic rim road: 30 km cliff-top route with six official belvederes overlooking canyon walls rising to 300 metres · Canoe descent: half-day and full-day paddling routes through the gorge from €20 per person, suitable for beginners · Caverne du Pont d'Arc: authorised replica of the UNESCO-listed Chauvet Cave with 36,000-year-old Palaeolithic art (€13; pre-booking required) · River beaches: secluded sandy beaches inside the gorge, accessible by canoe and offering swimming and picnic spots
Grenoble and Bastille Fort from Lyon
Highlights: Fort de la Bastille: 19th-century hilltop fortress at 476 m offering panoramic views of three surrounding mountain ranges — Chartreuse, Belledonne, and Vercors · Les Bulles cable cars: transparent-gondola cars from Quai Stéphane Jay, the oldest urban cable car line in France (1934), approx €8.50 return · Musée de Grenoble: major French art museum with works by Matisse, Picasso, Monet, and Chagall (€8 entry; Place Lavalette) · Old town walk: Place Grenette, Grande Rue, and the Cathedral of Notre-Dame surrounded by medieval streetscapes and local brasseries · Parc Guy Pape trail: 40-minute hillside descent from the fort through forested gardens back to the Isère riverbank
Vercors Plateau from Grenoble
Highlights: Pont-en-Royans: dramatic village with historic painted houses suspended over the Bourne gorge on the western Vercors escarpment · Grottes de Choranche: stalactite cave system with cave pool and rare cave-dwelling proteus salamanders (approx €10; pre-booking recommended in summer) · Grandes Goulets: road tunnelled through sheer limestone canyon walls — one of the most dramatic driving routes in southeastern France · Mémorial de la Résistance du Vercors at Vassieux: free museum documenting the 1944 German assault on the plateau resistance fighters · Griffon vulture colony: reintroduced birds soaring above the western Vercors escarpment, visible from viewpoints near Baume Rousse
Puy de Dôme and Clermont-Ferrand from Lyon
Highlights: Puy de Dôme summit (1,465 m): extinct volcanic cone offering 360-degree Auvergne panoramas and views across the full UNESCO Chaîne des Puys chain · Panoramique des Dômes rack railway: 15-minute scenic ascent from Pont de Nid d'Aigle to the summit (approx €15 return) · Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption: unique Gothic cathedral built entirely from black Volvic volcanic stone in Clermont-Ferrand old town · Chaîne des Puys UNESCO World Heritage Site: 80 volcanic cones, craters, and lava domes forming one of the world's best-preserved Cenozoic volcanic landscapes · Aventure Michelin museum: history of the tyre company through vintage vehicles, posters, and manufacturing exhibits (approx €12 entry)
Tain-l'Hermitage Wine Tasting from Lyon
Highlights: Hermitage hill vineyards: 136-hectare granitic hillside Syrah appellation — one of France's smallest and most prestigious AOCs, walkable from the town centre · Cave de Tain cooperative: walk-in wine shop and tasting counter with Crozes-Hermitage and Hermitage wines from approx €10 per bottle · Cité du Chocolat Valrhona: interactive chocolate experience at the historic Valrhona factory (free entry to exhibition; workshops from €15 per person) · Tournon-sur-Rhône: medieval town across the suspension footbridge with Château de Tournon and riverside gardens (free entry) · Hermitage hill walk: 30-minute marked path from town to vineyard viewpoint overlooking the Rhône valley and Ardèche hills
Le Puy-en-Velay from Lyon
Highlights: Chapelle Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe: 10th-century Romanesque chapel atop a vertical basalt needle 82 m high, reached by 268 rock-cut steps (€5 entry) · Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy: UNESCO-inscribed Romanesque cathedral and start point of the Via Podiensis pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostela · Rocher Corneille: volcanic summit with 16-metre Notre-Dame de France cast-iron statue offering panoramic views over the Velay volcanic landscape (€3 entry) · Lentilles vertes du Puy AOC: regionally produced green lentils of exceptional quality, available in local markets and traditional brasseries · Musée Crozatier: collection of historical Puy bobbin lace, regional fine art, and natural history (€5 entry; Place Crozatier)
Geneva, Switzerland from Lyon
Highlights: Jet d'Eau: Geneva's 140-metre water jet on Lac Léman, visible from across the city and best viewed from the Quai Gustave-Ador lakeside promenade · Vieille Ville and Cathédrale Saint-Pierre: Calvin's Reformation cathedral with free ground-floor entry and tower panoramas (CHF 5 for tower access) · CERN Microcosm exhibition: free interactive science exhibition at the European particle physics laboratory near Meyrin (tram 18 from Cornavin, 35 min) · Horloge Fleurie: floral clock in the Jardin Anglais on the lakefront promenade between Cornavin and the Old Town (free to view) · Carouge quarter: bohemian 18th-century neighbourhood with independent cafés and lower-priced restaurants, 30 minutes from Cornavin by tram
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Items
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Tip Book TGV and TER tickets in advance for significant savings, Detail SNCF long-distance trains (TGV and Intercités) offer heavily discounted fares when purchased 30–90 days ahead. Regional TER trains are cheaper but less variable in pricing. Book at sncf-connect.com. The Lyon 1-day Liberté pass (€30–40 / approx USD 33–44) covers unlimited TER travel within the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region on a single day.
Tip Start early for alpine destinations, Detail Chamonix, the Vercors, and mountain trailheads are at their best — and least crowded — before 10:00. Summer afternoon thunderstorms are common above 2,000m. The first cable car on the Aiguille du Midi departs at 07:00 in peak season.
Tip Car hire from Lyon unlocks the most destinations, Detail Gorges de l'Ardèche, the Vercors interior, Le Puy-en-Velay, and many alpine trailheads are not practically accessible by public transport. Car hire at Lyon-Saint Exupéry Airport is competitive; international car hire chains and French operators (Rental Cars, Centauro) all operate there. Toll charges on French autoroutes add €10–20 / approx USD 11–22 per day for longer routes.
Tip Carry cash and a credit card at smaller destinations, Detail Alpine villages, Ardèche canoe operators, and rural wine domaines may not accept card payment, or may have minimum card transaction limits. A small amount of cash (€20–50 / approx USD 22–55) is recommended even when travelling primarily by card.
Tip Check seasonal opening hours before visiting, Detail Many attractions in the region — including the Aiguille du Midi cable car, Panoramique des Dômes rack railway, Ardèche canoe hire, and mountain refuge accommodation — operate on reduced hours or close entirely outside the June–September and December–March windows. Always verify opening dates on official attraction websites before travelling.