We will drive from Nice to Annecy on May 7. Via Michelin recommends two routes, one through Torino, Italy and another through Aix-en-Provence. Both use divided-highways for most of the route. We have not driven either of these routes. Can anyone share their experience with driving either of these routes? We are especially interested in the difficulties, including snow closures, and the requirements regarding the routes. We will appreciate any information on this trip.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10633 posts
The first, you take mountain roads to Digne and catch the autoroute there. We've driven those roads and find them not too difficult, and in fact beautiful. It goes near the Verdon Gorge.
The second is freeway all he way, but goes through 20 tunnels, some very long and is almost three times the price. We know some of this route as well. Finally, last summer my husband decided he was sick of tunnels, so we took the autoroute all the way from Annecy to visit family near Nice. We did the following in reverse, but here are instructions for you. It's the freeway across the south, north around Mt. St. Victoire and via Aix-en-Provence, up the Rhone Valley, and cut over to Annecy from somewhere along the Rhone. It's longer, but mostly flat until you go up into the Alps, and a bit ho-hum, but easy. The good thing is you can decide at the last minute.
Posted by
Tilburg, Netherlands
2829 posts
The one via Italy is better (full, 100% highway) and it has some nice scenery on the background. It has more expensive tolls, though. These routes barely closure due to snowfall, since they are important transportation links. Information about snow closure, when/if it happens sporadically, can be found on traffic websites.