I unintentionally ended up on some rural roads, even off the main départemental. And now I like the car again.
Deep in the mountains and farmlands of the Doubs (25), it was dozens of km between villages, with excellent scenery and just.....cows and deer in pasture. Nary another car. Flowing roads with gentle curves. And no radar.
I squirted the car in gears 3-4-5, keeping the revs on the boil and finally, finally having the space to use the full pedal travel of the accelerator. Just flowing between 70-110; slingshot between curves and the occasional town, no need to go faster. This isn't a hot hatch after all. And it felt wonderful.
But it should, as this is the area where Peugeot was born, and where my 308 was built. So of course, the suspension, drivetrain, felt wonderful. Unlike German cars, French cars work in the real world, not a race track.
Then I got back onto the RN53. "Pour votre sécurité, contrôles automatiques fréquents".....next 27km