Does anyone know the logistics of turning in the rental car in San Remo Italy and renting another car in Menton France in order to avoid the $400 drop off charge when driving over the border?
Is the car rental counter located at the train station in San Remo and/or Menton?

I do know that others have done that very thing. We had planned to drop off our rental car in SanRemo, and yes there is one right by the train station. But we were then taking the train to Menton and on, and weren't renting another car. Meanwhile we ended up not renting the car after all on that trip.

I've done the Italy/France thing twice. Last year I dropped the car off in La Spezia, had the rental office call a taxi to take me to the train station, & took the train to Nice where I rented a French car. Several years ago, we drove to Monte Carlo, picked up a French car, drove both cars back to San Remo & returned the Italian car, then back to France.

Check with AutoEurope to see if there are rental offices at the Menton station - or go on to Nice where there are several offices at the Nice station.

You will save much more than the $400 drop off charge - French cars are much less expensive to rent because the basic rental is cheaper, and you are not required to purchase CDW like you are in Italy (your Visa/MC Gold or better will cover it - usually with a smaller deductible too).

Stu Dudley

If you have access to the toll free number of Autoeurope, use it rather than the web site.

It's 1-888-223-5555

Does 1-888 work too? I use the same number but with 1-800. Interesting.

I am looking to do the exact same thing -- and we leave Thursday! I was shocked when I got AutoEurope's "final" estimate -- with a drop charge of $470!! That was more than the rental car.
Does anyone know if there is a rental car drop in Ventimiglia? We were driving down the scenic route from Cuneo, and were planning to drive on into France. Now I guess we will be dropping a car (what rental company?)in San Remo or Ventimiglia, and spending the night there, before a train into Nice to pick up another car!
I need some hotel recs (something nice, we're going need a rest)in San Remo or the immediate vicinity. This was NOT part of our original plan, and I am starting to stress because we leave in 2 days.
BTW -- thanks to everyone who has answered all my pesky questions for the last few months.

There's one other answer. You can keep your rental car and drive into Nice for the first night you're there. Then do the short drive to drop it off in San Remo a day or two later and take the train back to Nice without luggage. Much easier than worrying about an extra hotel and transporting luggage, etc.

I don't think there are any rental car places in Ventimiglia, but I could be wrong.

Good advice from NP.

By the way, assuming you were planning to spend a couple of days in Nice or area, keeping the car for the first full day in Nice (or even longer) is a good idea. You can explore along the coast to Cap Ferrat, Monaco, etc. and take the better part of a day to get to San Remo to return the car, then take the train back to Nice. Combine sightseeing with the car return, in other words.

There is an Avis office in the RR station in Menton.