On the way from Burgundy to the Rhône Valley, you inevitably end up in Lyon. Most people take the boring A46 bypass or drive straight through the gray city with its many tunnels. But there are other, better, and more scenic options, and this is the second of four alternative routes that take you around Lyon.

Three routes are located on the western side, and one runs between Clermont-Ferrand and Lyon, taking in the magnificent Velay plateau. This is also ideal if you're coming from western Burgundy. Then there's one that passes St. Étienne and the Col de Ia République, and one that stays relatively close to Lyon and emerges just below it, in Givors. The eastern route is an alternative for those who prefer the most rural scenery possible on this side.

This detour route offers a relaxing ride through forests and over green hills heading south. The only downside is that it's difficult to get around St. Étienne with a bit of creativity. A few kilometers are covered in this urban area. Hence the choice for the quick bypass.

This is compensated by the fantastic final stretch with the Col de la République, a 1,161-meter-high mountain pass in the Pilat massif, on the edge of the Massif Central. The road over the pass, the D1028, connects Saint-Étienne with the Rhône Valley. This pass is also called the Col du Grand Bois (Great Forest). And the name is well-deserved; we ride beneath mighty pine trees and there are no shortage of bends.

The starting point is in Autun, as that's where the approach route from northern France ended. (See also this series, route number 2 MGT2 02 Bourgogne Mesnil Saint Pere Bar du Seine Autun). The original route starts west of Autun on the N81, but we'll skip that and drive through the village, taking the D46, a beautiful narrow and winding road through the meadows. After about 16km, we'll arrive in Etang-sur-Arroux, where we'll rejoin the original route and continue on the D994 through the gentle landscape of southern Burgundy to Toulon-sur-Arroux.

We turn left and then follow the D985, driving via Perrecy-les-Forges to Charolles. This town is the origin of the white Charolais cattle, which are common in France. The next town is La Clayette, with its 14th-century castle, "La Château de La Clayette." This castle is definitely worth a visit, as it's a gem nestled in the heart of the Charolais-Brionnais region in southern Burgundy. Built in 1380 on the edge of a lake, it is surrounded by water, making it one of the most picturesque spots in Burgundy-Franche-Comté! It has been owned by the Noblet family for three centuries since 1722. During an exterior tour, you'll discover the courtyard, the medieval kitchens, the 15th-century Paray Tower, the park, and the orangery.

As we leave the city, the road begins to wind more, and we enter a beautiful, hilly area with many pleasant curves. The road passes through several small towns, such as Chauffailles, Cours-la-Ville, Thizy-les-Bourgs, and Amplepuis, and finally arrives in Tarare.

The steep climbs and descents on this stretch offer some truly beautiful views. You'll frequently ride through dense tunnels of trees, and it'll get a bit chilly. The area above Tarare is also a very pleasant touring area in its own right, called "Monts de Tarare."

After Tarare, we take the D60 via Panissières towards Feurs, another beautiful road with many bends. From Feurs, you can choose to quickly continue to St. Étíenne via the N82 (D1082), but because this is a very busy, boring, and straight stretch, we take an alternative route along the smaller D-roads, which are much more enjoyable and run almost parallel.

Just before the D60 joins the D89 at the village of Salt-en-Donzy, we don't turn right towards Feurs but drive through this village, cross the D89, and continue on the D10. This road passes through Bellegarde-en-Forez and the water town of St. Galmier. Here, bottled water was first introduced at the beginning of the last century. Shortly after, we rejoin the N82 (D1082).

We're now just outside St. Étienne, a large city with over 300,000 inhabitants, and we have three options to leave it behind as quickly as possible. Option 1 is through the city, which isn't really an option unless you want to do anything, eat, or visit anything in the city. The other two options are to stay on the N82 or, and this is the fastest and best option, to stay on the four-lane A72 bypass and, after about 14 km, take the exit for the N82 motorway.

Now we enter the Parc Natural Régional du Pilat and ride the Col de la République to the end of this route in Bourg-Argental. This is close to Annonay, from where you have good connections to routes south or to the Drôme and Vercors, as described in previous reviews from Motor Tour Guide Part 1.

The end point is the Domaine de l'Astrée campsite in Bourg-Argental, where you can camp with a tent or rent a log cabin.