Countries Near France: 8 Neighbours to Visit by Train or Car
Few places in Europe are as well connected as France. Eight countries share a land border with it, the UK is a short train ride under the Channel, and fast trains link Paris, Lyon, Strasbourg and Nice to cities in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. That makes it easy to add a second country to your trip, sometimes as a simple day trip. This guide lists every country near France, how to get there by train or car, how much time you need and which one suits your trip. Looking for further-flung ideas? See our guide to the best countries to visit from France.
Countries near France: quick answer
Countries that border France: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra and Spain
Closest to Paris: Belgium (Brussels is about 1 hour 25 minutes by train)
Easiest from the Riviera: Monaco (20 minutes from Nice) and Italy (about 1 hour to Ventimiglia)
Best for a weekend: Switzerland (Geneva) or Spain (San Sebastián or Barcelona)
Not a neighbour but close: the UK, about 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris by Eurostar
How many countries border France?
In Europe, France shares land borders with eight countries: Belgium and Luxembourg to the north-east, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy and Monaco to the south-east, and Spain and Andorra to the south, across the Pyrenees. Count France's overseas territories and the number rises to eleven: French Guiana borders Brazil and Suriname in South America, and the Caribbean island of Saint-Martin is shared with the Dutch side, Sint Maarten. The UK has no land border with France, but the Channel Tunnel links the two countries by rail.
For travellers, the useful question is how quickly you can get there. Most neighbours are inside the Schengen area, so there are usually no passport checks at the border, and high-speed trains run straight from French cities into the heart of their capitals.
Countries near France: what to see and how to get there
Belgium: the easiest day trip from Paris
Brussels is the closest foreign capital to Paris: about 1 hour 25 minutes by high-speed train from Gare du Nord, so you can leave after breakfast, see the Grand-Place, eat moules-frites and waffles and be back for dinner. With a night or two, add Bruges or Ghent, about an hour further by Belgian train. From Lille it is even quicker: about 35 minutes to Brussels.
Best for: a day trip or a weekend
From Paris: about 1h25 by train to Brussels
Currency: euro
Luxembourg: a small capital with a big old town
Luxembourg City sits on cliffs above two river valleys, with a UNESCO-listed old town, the Bock casemates carved into the rock and an easy, walkable centre. Public transport is free across the whole country, including trains and buses. Direct TGVs from Paris Gare de l'Est take about 2 hours 10 minutes, and regional trains run from Metz in under an hour.
Best for: a long day trip or one night
From Paris: about 2h10 by TGV
Currency: euro
Germany: across the Rhine from Alsace
From Strasbourg you can cross into Germany by tram: line D runs over the Rhine to Kehl in about 15 minutes. Further afield, direct trains from Paris reach Stuttgart in about 3 hours 10 minutes and Frankfurt in about 4 hours, and the Black Forest town of Baden-Baden is a short hop from Strasbourg. Alsace and Germany share food, wine and Christmas market traditions, so the two combine well in December.
Best for: combining with Alsace or a Christmas market trip
From Paris: about 3h10 to Stuttgart, 4h to Frankfurt
Currency: euro
Switzerland: lakes and mountains next to the French Alps
Geneva is about 3 hours 10 minutes from Paris by TGV Lyria, and about 45 minutes from Annecy by bus, so it fits naturally into a trip to the French Alps. Basel is about 3 hours from Paris, and Zurich about 4 hours. Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU: it uses the Swiss franc, prices are high and EU roaming deals may not apply, so check your phone plan before you cross.
Best for: a weekend, or adding to Annecy, Lyon or the Alps
From Paris: about 3h10 to Geneva
Currency: Swiss franc (CHF)
Adding a country to your trip? Open-jaw flights, into Paris and out of Geneva, Barcelona or Milan, often cost no more than a return. Compare flights and hotels for your route.
Italy: along the coast from the French Riviera
From Nice, regional trains follow the coast through Menton to Ventimiglia, the first Italian town, in about an hour. Go on a Friday for Ventimiglia's big weekly market, or continue to Sanremo and the Italian Riviera. In the Alps, Chamonix is linked to Courmayeur by the Mont Blanc Tunnel. Direct trains from Paris to Milan take about 7 hours when the Alpine line is running, so check the current timetable before you plan around it.
Best for: a day trip from Nice or Menton
From Nice: about 1 hour by train to Ventimiglia
Currency: euro
Monaco: a country you can visit in an afternoon
Monaco is the second-smallest country in the world and only about 20 minutes from Nice by train, so it is the easiest foreign trip on the Riviera. See the Prince's Palace and the Oceanographic Museum on the Rock, the Casino de Monte-Carlo and the harbour full of superyachts. There is no border check at all. Our Monaco day trip from Nice has the full plan, including the bus that stops at Èze on the way.
Best for: a half-day or day trip
From Nice: about 20 minutes by train
Currency: euro
Spain: San Sebastián and Barcelona, just over the border
At the western end of the Pyrenees, the local Euskotren runs from Hendaye, on the French side, to San Sebastián in about 35 minutes: one of the best food cities in Europe, with pintxo bars and a beautiful city beach. In the east, direct TGVs from Paris reach Barcelona in about 6 hours 30 minutes, and high-speed trains from Perpignan take about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Best for: a weekend from Biarritz or the south-west, or a longer stay in Barcelona
From Paris: about 6h30 to Barcelona
Currency: euro
Andorra: a mountain country in the Pyrenees
Andorra is a tiny principality high in the Pyrenees, known for skiing in winter, hiking in summer and duty-free shopping. There is no train: buses from Toulouse take about 3 hours, or you can drive over the Envalira pass, the highest paved road in the Pyrenees. Andorra is not in the EU or the Schengen area, so carry your passport or ID card and check the duty-free limits before you drive back.
Best for: skiing or a mountain road trip
From Toulouse: about 3 hours by bus or car
Currency: euro
Not neighbours, but close: the UK and the Netherlands
The UK is the most popular add-on to a France trip. Eurostar trains take about 2 hours 20 minutes from Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras, and about 1 hour 25 minutes from Lille. The UK is outside the Schengen area, so you go through passport control at the station before boarding, and many visitors now need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) before they travel: check the UK government website for your nationality.
The Netherlands does not border mainland France, but Amsterdam is about 3 hours 20 minutes from Paris by direct Eurostar, which makes Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam an easy rail trip in a week.
Which country near France should you choose?
- Only one free day in Paris: Brussels, Belgium.
- Staying in Nice or on the Riviera: Monaco, then Ventimiglia or Sanremo in Italy.
- Visiting Annecy, Lyon or the Alps: Geneva and Lake Geneva, Switzerland.
- Visiting Alsace: Kehl, Baden-Baden or the Black Forest in Germany.
- Exploring the Basque coast: San Sebastián, Spain.
- A road trip through the Pyrenees: Andorra.
- Planning a two-capital trip: London by Eurostar, or Amsterdam via Brussels.
Tips for crossing the border from France
- Bring your passport or ID card: there are usually no checks inside the Schengen area, but police can still ask for ID, and you need it for Andorra, the UK and most hotels.
- Check entry rules for your nationality: visitors from outside the EU should check the latest rules for the Schengen area and the UK before they travel.
- Driving into Switzerland: you need a motorway vignette (an e-vignette can be bought online) to use Swiss motorways.
- Hiring a car: tell the rental company if you plan to cross a border, as some charge a fee or need written permission.
- Phones: EU roaming covers Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Spain, but not always Switzerland, Monaco, Andorra or the UK.
- Book trains early: international high-speed fares rise as the date gets closer, especially on Fridays and Sundays.
Countries near France: FAQ
How many countries border France?
Eight in Europe: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Monaco, Andorra and Spain. Including its overseas territories, France also borders Brazil and Suriname (through French Guiana) and the Netherlands (on the island of Saint-Martin), for a total of eleven.
Which country has the longest border with France?
Brazil, through French Guiana, with a border of about 730 km. In Europe, the longest borders are with Spain and Belgium.
What is the closest country to Paris?
Belgium. Its border is about 200 km from Paris, and Brussels is about 1 hour 25 minutes away by high-speed train, the quickest foreign capital to reach from Paris.
Can you visit another country on a day trip from France?
Yes. The easiest day trips are Brussels from Paris or Lille, Monaco and Ventimiglia from Nice, Geneva from Annecy or Lyon, Kehl from Strasbourg and San Sebastián from Biarritz or Hendaye.
Do you need a passport to go from France to Switzerland?
There are usually no passport checks, because Switzerland is in the Schengen area, but you should always carry a valid passport or national ID card. Customs checks are still possible, as Switzerland is not in the EU.
Ready to explore beyond France?
Base yourself in Paris, Nice or Lyon and add a neighbouring country by train.
More ideas: the best countries to visit from France, our Paris travel guide and the best things to do in Nice.
Photos from Wikimedia Commons: TGV by Rail.Photography (CC0); Strasbourg Christmas market by Romynine (CC BY-SA 4.0); Menton old town by Claire2595 (CC BY-SA 3.0); Monaco harbour by Spike (CC BY-SA 4.0).
