Travel from Paris to Geneva

mcclainck,
I have a suggestion for your trip from Paris to Geneva......Rent your car at Orly and drop it at the French sector of Geneva airport. It would cost you quite a lot to return the car in a different country than where it was rented. Or drop at Lyon and train to Geneva.

I would first stop on my way south at Fontenay Abbey, a short drive off the main autoroute (about 2 1/2-3 hours from Orly). It is a beautiful collection of buildings in a beautiful setting. Spend an hour here. Then drive on to Dijon (about 1-1 1/2 hours)and stay there for two nights. Visit some vineyards in the area in your time there. After 2 nights, drive to Beaune (1 hour drive max). Before leaving Dijon you could see the ducal palace or do some mustard tasting. Do not miss visiting the Hospice de Beaune, and you can do some wine tasting here as well. (You are still in the middle of the burgundy region.) Stay here overnight. (You can arrange drives around Dijon and Beaune to your liking.)
That is 3 nights gone and 3 days gone.

On day 4 drive from Beaune to Lyon (about 2 hours). Stay your last 2 nights there and explore Lyon (so 5 nights total).
Personally, I would return the car in Lyon and take the train to Geneva from Lyon on day 6. There are several trains a day with no changes, taking about 2 hours.

Just a suggestion.....None of your drives are long ones. Take some food with you and picnic at Fontenay Abbey (no cafe or food available there. We picnicked when there midday.) This day is the one with the most driving, about 4-5 hours total.
Do come back and let the forum members know how your journey went. Many of us really enjoy reading about the trips people take.

Bonne chance, et amusez-vous bien!

P.S. Yes we have done this trip somewhat in reverse. One highlight was Fontenay Abbey. And we have been to Beaune 3 times now (4 for hubby) and each time I am impressed visiting the Hospice. My favorite parts are the roof and the magnificent van der Weyden altarpiece. When we went in 1988, my then-10 year old daughter saw the altarpiece and it opened her eyes to what art could be. Afterwards she became far more interested in what she found in museums and churches and buildings. Before that, she was bored going to museums. So that altarpiece will always have a special meaning for me, above and beyond its own beauty.
Enjoy!

Great suggestions! Very much appreciated, Judy!!

You can easily do this by train, Train to Beaune via Dijon and stay 3 nights. There are lots of winery tours that you don't need a car.
https://www.beaune-tourism.com/to-see-and-do/wine-tourism-experience/burgundy-vineyard-tours-and-tastings/
Then it is a TER train to Lyon with no need to book in advance. Stay 2 nights there, then it is another TER train to Geneva.

Good idea, thanks.

Absolutely no reason to go as far south as Lyon to drop the car and take that miserable local train to Geneva. It’s an easy drive on the autoroute and you can stop for a night or two where you want, choosing more rural areas rather than a well-trodden tourist trail. Since I’m sitting in the train station at Bellegarde-sur-Valserine, one stop from Geneva as I write this, waiting for the rest of my group to arrive on the TGV from Paris, I can only name a few towns near the autoroutes. But, I’d keep the car if you want villages.

Let me say,, that you always need a backup plan with local trains. We’ve had a few cancellations on these Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes locals between Lyon and Geneva.

There’s plenty to see in this region and Burgundy before you get to Geneva.

Google shows variations and combinations using either the A79, through Nevers, Macon. the A6 via Burgundy, Tournus et Bourg-en-Bresseand , A5/39 Burgundy Troyes et Dijon.

Thank you for the train info.