Getting to Chateaux Arnoux Sainte Auban

Herds

We sat back and watched the 'herds' scramble off the ship in Monte Carlo to get their various transports home in the face of a French transport strike.  We felt comfortable. We had a hired car to take us to Nice airport to get a rental car.  When we were to meet our driver , he was not there.  We walked up the pier looking and looking when suddenly the driver showed up, with the other Mr. and Mrs. Irvine on the ship.
Apparently he loaded them up and said they were off to the Nice airport.  Thank goodness that's not where they wanted to go, or we would have been in a fix!  So, they unloaded the faux Irvines stuff, loaded ours and away we went.

Monaco yachts

'Jill" told us the fastest route once we got in the car and we decided that we had the time to take the 'senic' route of shorter distance and as we found, twice the time.  It goes through the Alps.

Wonderful views and lots of switchbacks!  Cute villages and lots of cyclists.  Unlike England, these rural roads had enough width for two cars to pass.   The roaring rivers that we should see were a trickle since they have had not much rain and all the snow has melted long ago.
We kept 'Jill' tuned to Digne (pronounced Deen neh) and when we got there we rerouted to the hotel. It was easy to find.  I have to say again that he roads we've seen in France were good, but a lot of them are toll roads.  However, while we have a lot of people attending the toll booths, theirs are largely automated taking coin, bills, credit cards and speed passes.  (Our driver in Nice claimed that the french invented this.) We don't mind;.The roads are good!
When we arrived at La Bonne Etape we had 'de ja vu'.  Stairs again!  One looong curving flight to reception  and a flight down to the room.  This was not so bad for us after some of the other stuff we've done a since dining was a the reception level.  The strange thing was.... no lift and no porters!  So, the tiny twig of girl was going lug our bags up all by herself.  That wouldn't do, so over her objections I and the Chef/ Owner got them to the room.
We did get a nice room after checking those available, just wish it had a separate shower.  Oh well,  we took soaking baths.