The Ibis are reasonable tourist class hotels, usually clean and comfortable and OK for one or two nights. There are cheaper chains like the ETAP that are also good for overnights stops.
I would think it will take up to two hours to get to Rouen as it is around 200km.
Normally on the toll( peage)roads you take a ticket from the machine at the start of the toll part and pay again as you leave. You can pay in cash (Euros) or in the credit card machine as you leave. There are rows of booths at the start and end of toll stretches. Some stretches around major citys are free.
Keep to the speed limits the police are getting very active with their radar and fines can be huge. Otherwise usually a pleasure to drive on the French motorways other than during parts of July and August.

Oopps thats when i will be travelling in late July/August.

What is the drive like down to Bordeaux? via Rouen, la mans etc?

And thanks for the reply.

Sorry I can't give you much help on the route to Bordeaux as I normally travel around north eastern france a few times every year, the last time I drove down to south west france from the UK was in 1969 and there were very few motorways(if any) then.
Motorway driving in France is a lot less stressfull than the UK and if you have a good maps or satnav you shouldn't have any problems. It is not normally three lanes like the UK but as there is not the same amount of traffic it always seems easier driving.
Enjoy your trip.

Use the Michelan website to give you a route. It may be quicker to go by Paris rather than winding your way down on N roads.

And please remember to fill your car at MANNED petrol stations because most if not all automatic 24h stations do not accept UK credit cards!

Yeah cheers for the info.

Had a look on Viamichelin and it completely by-passes Paris much to my relief as i have been told its a traffic nightmare.

Will petrol stations be manned all day and is it self service like the UK?

Nearly all (99%) petrol stations are self service - you pay at a cash desk, but beware 'automatic' pumps where you put your credit card into the pump before it dispenses petrol.

All motorway service stations are manned 24 hours; supermarkets/main road stations are usually manned during working hours - say in general 8-6 as a minimum - but it is rare, if not downright impossible to find manned petrol stations open after say 8 pm in towns.

Moral to the story - fill up during the day ... supermarket petrol is a tad cheaper, but expect to pay at least 1.30€ per litre. Sorry!!

Sundays can also be a problem in some towns. I also remember having a problem getting petrol in one town as it was the local saints day and a bank holiday in that area.

Cheers for the replies, much appreciated.

Can anyone tell be what the cities of Rouen and Bordeaux are like in terms of safety? if memory serves me right most of the Ibis hotels offer secure parking for cars anyway but as there will be a roof box on ours and all our luggage would be in the boot i would hate to think we would have to unload in any particular place.

I can't imagine they will be anyworse than any other French town. Car parks are locked at night with access by a code. Some do still have pedestrian access though.

Some Ibis hotels like the one near me offer lockable garages at a small supplement. You might like to ask if they are available at the Ibis hotels you are thinking of staying at.