St Emilion to Lyon - Pace to Stay Between

I will assume you are driving.
St Etienne is not really an option: it is of questionable interest to the average tourist, it is not exactly on the way, and it is very close to Lyon.

Clermont-Ferrand is a good choice if you seek urban life.
If you want a smaller place, you could stay in Royat immediately above Clermont (thermal town with some good late 19th c. architecture), or in Châtel-Guyon (similar vibe).
If you want nature, the volcanic region to the west is beautiful and you could enjoy the good views even as an overnight stay, e.g. in le Mont Dore or la Bourboule (both have a lot of hotels) or in the smaller villages between there and Clermont (scattered accomodation).

Not a lot of great options. You could stay in Sarlat, but it's less than halfway to Lyon.

Thank you both for your responses. Yes, we are driving east to the Lyon area. Glad to know about St. Emilion. We actually want to go see the Chateau de Chavaniac. Those two cities seemed to be the largest on my small the map, although we prefer small towns. .I haven't checked to see if the town of Lafayette-Chavaniac is a viable option. I notice that its's surrounded by mountains and parks. as i enlarge my map are a few smaller town closer to the Chateau. It's always a treat to find out about an area from someone who either lives there or has traveled there.

OOPS! I meant St. Etienne!

Chavaniac-Lafayette is barely a village. But with an early start you could drive there, visit the chateau, and sleep in Le Puy en Velay, which is a interesting town if you are into religious architecture.

Regarding the drive, the A89 motorway makes a significant detour to the north but is still the fastest way by far, and it is quite scenic.

Thanks for the idea. I was just checking Le Puy.