Driving in winter

We are staying in Nice in the middle of January for 11 days.

We are planning to rent car for a week and exploring Nice area (including part of north Italy) and Provence.

Now I am wondering about road condition in the north from Nice (we are planning day trips by car to Grenoble and Torino (via Cuneo)). It is a good idea for that type of trips in winter (Possible, too much and long?)

Thanks,

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You should look at times and distances given for these journeys on www.viamichelin.com

Grenoble is much too far for a day trip. Don%26#39;t even think about it.

I would never do it myself, but Turin might be just about possible if you really like driving - it takes around three hours each way (without stopping) if you go the fastest route on the autostrada via Savona. But going via Cuneo takes even longer, and is much harder work driving. Also, depending on the weather, the road to Cuneo is sometimes prohibited if you do not have snow chains in the car.

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I would not have said that Grenoble was worth a long detour. Plus if you are hiring a car in Nice, it is unlikely to be fitted with winter tyres or have snow chains unless you mention that you need them at the time of booking. It would be very risky to go up into the mountains at that time of year without them.

There is plenty to see west and east of Nice along the coast without heading North - Avignon and Arles are %26quot;only%26quot; 2.5 hours away and even Carcassonne is easier to get to than Grenoble (but it%26#39;s still not a day trip).

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You can spend a week just exploring the hinterland along the coast from Menton to Fréjus and not feel you have wasted a minute. If you tire of that, Aix-en-Prpvence and the area close by are much better bets weather-wise in mid-winter than Grenoble or Turin and a much shorter drive.

And then there is the entire coast as far west as Cassis if you really can%26#39;t stand to drive less than five hours a day. Remember that the hours of daylight are limited in mid-January...

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Thanks all!

I decided to stay away from Tourin un Grenoble.

But what about Gorge du Verdon from Nice by car in january, it is possible or to adventures?