Monday 17th September To the South!

Our 1700 klms trip to Nice and back.
Monday 17th September.
(Notes taken as we drove along.)
Raining today for the start of our adventure. Packed our clothes and took some blankets and a couple of pillows in case we might need them.
We set off for Auxerre, which we have previously visited so we could connect up to the autoroute for Lyon. At Auxerre we picked up our ticket as we went through the booths, so they know where we joined the toll road when you come to pay at the tollbooth on your exit.
Here the country side is much like the UK, farm lands and gentle hills except there are Chateaus dotted all along the way. Chateauneuf on a hill near the roadside was very impressive. Still very misty and visibility was quite poor. Hilly here and very wooded on the tops, vines growing everywhere. Stopped for coffee at one of the many very well appointed places, with restaurants, petrol, toilets etc available.
It just kept on raining however not too much traffic on the roads. Past some very dense forests. Stopped off at Aire de Rossigoal for lunch, which we had brought along with us. Here again there are many stopping off places, besides the commercial ones, which have toilets, picnics benches and play areas for the children to have a bit of a run around to stretch their legs. On to Lyon and the road seemed to go on forever as we circled the town on the ring road. The city looked huge as we passed over a very long bridge across the Rhone. Beatrice looked around and wondered where her great grandma from her mothers side, had lived, as she had come from Lyon.
At various times the rain was very hard and the trucks caused all sorts of bother with the spray they threw up as you passed them. Must say the discipline on the roads is very good. Speeds are reduced to 110kph in wet weather otherwise its 130. Trucks are not permitted to travel in the outside lane on three lane roads and mainly keep to the nearside one.
We continued along the wine route –Beaujolais route all along the Rhone valley. It was a great road right next to the river and hills covered in vines. Very hilly here with the Rhone winding itself from gorge to gorge. We left the Autoroute at exit 14 and handed over our ticket we had picked up at Auxerre and paid up our 20e40 (about $32.00) it was worth it, as we had covered many Ks very quickly.
6 o’clock we decided it was time to find somewhere to stay. We had passed many places along the way and now all we wanted to find was a Logis, or somewhere similar to stay overnight. We stopped at Pont De L’Isere at the Hotel La Batida (just north of Valence) which is very much like a motel in Australia, a basic room etc no fridge or tea and coffee provided though. Had dinner in the restaurant choosing from one of the 3 basic menus they have to provide.
Sat there watching one of the guests come in with three huge dogs sitting himself down at a table with his dogs around him. Thankfully the owner came out and told him he couldn't stay with the dogs and asked him to leave. Strange as dogs are usually allowed in restaurants, the same way that smoking is permitted everywhere.
It was a very stormy night with thunder and lightning so we wound down our shutter and felt safe and secure for a good night rest.