Yesterday we drove from Burgundy across country to just out of Vichy. The Romans have a lot to answer for with their road layout. All main roads lead to Paris, like wheel spokes. And other towns have roads radiating out from them too. So if you want to go cross country you end up with jagged saw track!
Mostly we went through rolling hills that are farmed or cropped. It rain (again).
Our accommodation is most spectacular - we are in the Maulmount Chateau. It started life as a crusades fort in about 1200. In the 18th century this was a favoured hunting area for the kings. A princess built the current building (or some version of it) as a hunting lodge. Our bedroom is the top of the left tower. Which is awesome, except for the stairs - they are a narrow, steep spiral.

Vichy is a spa town, it has natural mineral waters and there is a fountain building where one can get a taste. I filled my empty coke bottle (shock, horror) - it tastes like sodaery mineral water. We also past a roundabout with some steaming vents in the middle (a la Rotorua). Vichy has the trappings of a royals playground - an opera house, gardens. All look about the same era, late 18th century, ie pre-revolution. There is farming on the flat land and a lot of mixed forest on the hills, perfect hunting country in days of yaw no doubt.