Hi there,
It seems much cheaper to drive than take a train between Annecy and St. Remy -- about 350 km. I'd want to take non-toll roads, for the most part.
Is that doable in a single day, or am I insane?
Thanks!

Sanity is rather relative...if you provide more info someone may be able to help you.

Definitely doable. I recently went Geneva to St. Remy and it took about 5 hours with a few short stops. However, don't be looking to save money since the tolls are huge and I think cost about 30 Euros one way !!!

I have never done this particular drive, but my experience is that non toll roads in France are very nice, and far more pleasurable to drive than toll roads, which are fine for getting from a to b fast.
350km in a day is very doable. My route planner puts the drive at under 4 hours, using non toll roads.

If you look at www.mappy.fr or www.viamichelin.fr you can find various itineraries, the cost of tolls, and an estimate of the amount of fuel it will take. Currently gas (essence) is about 1.40 Euros per litre. I haven't checked the train schedule but it would surprise me that it would be cheaper to drive.

Hi everyone,
Thanks for your great tips and help.
I checked the train schedules, and it seems Annecy to Lyon to Avignon was the best route, taking most of the day, from about 9 to 4, and will cost us $176 Cdn. for two.
I was then going to pick up our rental car there, paying about $260 for the week. By changing the pickup location to Annecy, it will only cost me an extra $30. Even with tolls and gas prices, it still seems cheaper to drive, but I will do a more precise check, thank to those sites you've sent.
I guess I'm just wondering whether it's possible to take the non-toll -- and hopefully more scenic -- roads and still make it there in a reasonable time with stress levels in check. Both my mate and I prefer avoiding large city traffic and the like.
Again, many thanks for your help!

A few years ago, we decided to drive from St. Remy to Beaune on the yellow roads. It took us longer than we expected because of the heavy local truck traffic and the many round-abouts. We finally got on the toll road just before Lyon so we could make better time getting to our hotel.

Just to put things in perspective...several years ago, we took a family member to the airport in Geneva for an 11:00am flight, had a nice lunch in Chambery, and before the sun set, were standing in Port Bou Spain....just took the autoroute and you can cover a lot of ground easily.

Autoroute is much faster than the nationale, although there is more to observe on the "red" roads.

But the drive from Annecy to St. Remy is easily doable in a day, even at a leisurely pace on the back roads. Pick a nice restaurant to stop at to break it up....you will love it. Plus it will be good to have a car around St. Remy, and Les Baux etc. rouss

Be careful in your analysis.

The non-toll roads close to the A7 down the Rhone valley are non-scenic/ugly with lots of commerce & nuclear power plants along the way - till you get to Provence.

The non-toll roads close to the toll roads between Annecy, Chambery, Grenoble, etc are in the serious Alps and will probably consume a lot if time with mountain driving.

You need to decide how much you want to pay (in both money, and lost/dead/worthless vacatiou hours) to either have a long non-scenic drive, or a very long and perhaps tiring scenic drive. Your vacation is probably too short anyway.

We've driven on the toll roads between Dijon & the St Remy area many times, the non-toll roads next to this freeway, the TGV/local train from Provence to Chambery to Lyon, and the slow roads through the Alps (it took us 3 days to get from Provence to Annecy).

If this was my trip, I would take the train. It's more scenic than the A7 or the non-toll roads next to the A7. I bet if you start off driving the non-toll roads next to the Annecy/Chambery/Grenoble freeway - you'll get way behind schedule and end up on the toll roads to make up time.

Stu Dudley

Well, you've convinced me. I think I'll save the scenic driving for our week in Provence -- not the journey there.
Many thanks to everyone for your valuable advice. I'll think of you on the train on my way to paradise.
Cheers!