From Lake Como to Paris by car on scenic routes

Hi Galina, I lived in Grenoble, France and have driven to Lake Como several times and it took about 4 - 6 hours depending upon the traffic. The Frejus tunnel between Italy and France can have major delays, especially in the summer. I have spent an hour just waiting to get into the tunnel. Then from Grenoble it is 5+ hours to Paris. Both of these travel times are via Autostrada/Autoroute. You may choose to get on the tollway to get to an area, then spend time visiting that area, the jumping on the autoroute again. For example, when you get out of the Frejus tunnel, you will drive down a valley for something like 55 kilometers, then you could turn right and go to Albertville, Chamonix, then Geneva, then autoroute to Bourgoine, then get back on the autoroute to another area to visit. Perhaps Verdun and Reims. Another option is to go through Switzerland, visit Interlaken, Bern (nice, worth an afternoon stop), Neuchatel, to Freiburg, Strasbourg, then west to Paris. Each route has its advantages, the French has the food, ambiance,and scenic vistas. Switzerland has very dramatic vistas, neat, tidy farms and also good food. Have fun, and remember, no right turns on red in France!

Having spent many days traveling both France and Switzerland, I can advise you to choose the latter.

That country is far more scenic and appealing to me. I have been there on three occasions.

Experienced travelers avoid France in August because so many people take that month as vacation. Having chosen Paris for a week will give you lots of French culture.

Look at a map of Switzerland and choose any of the towns and mountains in the Oberland. It is easy to take the cable cars to the mountain tops. You should spend most of your time in the Alps.

I like to headquarter in Interlaken and ride the train to other parts.

On our last trip we stayed in Andermatt which is central and took day trips out by train.

I'm just roughly estimating based on my experience driving similar routes, but you may want to budget a little more time for this drive. You probably could drive it, but you may not have time to do much else. Just so you're aware, driving through the Alps takes much longer than it looks on a map. Driving west through Italy to the French border may take slightly less time. You may need to take some toll roads to save time,

As for expense- no question about it, avoiding Switzerland will save you money. Although I love visiting there, it is the most costly nation in Europe.

Scenery- not too much to distinguish for mountains, you'll pass through some breath-taking Alpine vistas no matter which direction you take. For non-Apline scenery, I would give France a slight advantage, as parts of Switzerland outside of the mountain regions can look a bit industrial. You may have more choices for cable car rides in Switzerland, but given your tight schedule, you may not have time (and cable car rides are VERY $$$$, especially in Switzerland).

Thank you very much for all your suggestions!
To try to kill two birds with one stone, I would plan Swiss daily trips to Alps from my base on Lake Como and will drive back to Paris through Burgundy.
How is that!