whats best to do would i be better camping and carrying the extra weight around or save up money and have hotel stops every night
When touring in France you are unlikely to be far from cafes, restaurants, supermarkets, rural shops etc., so you could just take a tent, sleeping bag and bed roll, and eat out, this might be termed camping lite.
Or you could go the whole hog and take along food, stove, pan(s), plates, cutlery, potato peeler etc., leaving you almost self supporting and independent of the area you are passing through, but carrying considerably more in weight and bulk.
It will be more expensive, but I find camping lite with the odd night in a hotel or hostel gives a better insight into life in the area I'm passing through than a full on camping tour which some might find to be a bit lonely.
Decisions decisions
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