We did that exact drive a few years ago. Yes, the drive can be boring, but we didn't want to spend the entire trip poking around little French towns, no matter how charming they might have been. One way rental was no problem.

I think we did about 300 miles the first day, and we spent the night at the Chateau Longecourt just south of Dijon. Absolutely fabulous - the Count welcomes you there and his wife, the Countess, busies herself around the place - it's still a working farm.

Breakfast was continental, but the china, silverware, etc. were first class, and almost all the food was made on the premises.

As you check out, the Count will be certain to show you the guest register, wherein Bill Gates's name will show up. Apparently he stayed there a few years ago, before he got married.

From there on it was potluck. Stayed at a very charming little mountain inn, visited the caves at Couranche (sp?), spent another night at an Accor in Sisteron, and from there it was a short jaunt to Nice.

Yes, it takes a little time, but IMO certainly worth the couple of days it takes.

PS - we did it in the middle of September and the weather was perfect.

Bon voyage!