Thanks for the tips guys.

Looks like September time isn't the best time for a trip but it can't be helped. Looks like I'll be buying that Alan Rogers book, although a review on Amazon stated it doesn't cover September time... I'll have to pop into Waterstones and have a peek to see if it'll help. It's also assuring to know from Backofbeyond that it shouldn't be too difficult.

Thanks for all the links also guys. The hostal sites especially will come in handy.

I'll bare that in mind. Like said, we may go a bit off-route and take the back door of some cities and avoid all the touristy locations if we find outselves drawn to do so.

€4-10 per night is around what we were calculating (£10) so I'll be happy to report that back to the rest of our team.

Thanks again people.

If you are discrete, you can pitcha tent for the night atthe back of most 'aires' ( rest areas on major roads). I have done this on th etoulouse/bordeaux motorway, figuring the 9 euros for teh peage to be worth pitch a tent for teh night. just check where you pitch as they do also 'exercise' dogs on the grass ay aires

O/B is spot on here IMO; however this form of camping is not to everyone's taste. But it's the way I camp on the road. Or I do wild camping. If pushed, I use "Camping Municipale".

But I dont like paying similar money to mobile homes for rock hard ground, with noise, in a pukka camping ground. Can't pay, won't pay.

We plan to camp only for sleeping and maybe eating just before, rarely any luxuries unless it's chucking it down with rain/ is cold, so I'll consider those alternatives also, so long as they aren't considered illegal( according to a book I read today 'wild camping' is apparently a criminal offence in certain areas)?

Nothing wrong with Camping Municipale, cheap and usually good facilities. good one at the top of Rocamadour, if you're down that way. There's also a very good commercial site at Port Grimaud on the Med. coast, it seems expensive but the facilities, restaurants and entertainment make up for it, also motorcycle friendly. There's also the Camping Moto sites that are motorcycle only, look them up. We found that Municipale sites are cost effective and you can usually walk to the local village or town for food, we also found that eating cheap in France is easy, you just have to have the Plate du Jour (usually three course with wine), we found it chaper than just having a main meal. If you're cooking the local supermarkets are excellent for everything you need. Go to Arradour sur Glane, very moving, go to Condom, get the photo !

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Graham & Elaine

GL1800 Motor Trike 2+2, one here, one there.

http://www.mayflowermcc.co.uk/butlers/

Le Chant D'Oiseau

This little campsite is run by a really friendly English family and is located in the middle of nowhere with some forest walks on the doorstep. We stayed there last year and many of the people who were there go every year.
Bracken the dog is mad but friendly. He likes eating stones!
Thery have a large fridge freezer which campers can use which is a big bonus. Nothing worse than warm !

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This old world keeps spinning round, it`s a wonder tall trees ain`t laying down.

If you're looking at the "Camping Municipal" in France, then the best bet is to follow the signs for the "Mairie" or "Hotel de Ville" (town halls) and ask in there. If they're not open (some rural ones are only open once a week then asking in bars, bar-tabacs, or boulangeries should turn up someone who knows. They do really vary though, I stayed in a fantastic one just outside Brest, right in the dunes, lovely and quiet with decent hot showers, washing facilities and even a laundrette on site. At the other end there's the one in my village with a bit of very sloping grass, one loo, one cold and I don't think functioning shower, and right by the main road. One good thing though is that towns and villages aren't too far apart so if you're unlucky, you can always just ride on.

Wild camping? I've never been able to find out whether you can or not, and I've asked all over, but it's always worthwile knocking on a door and asking if you can camp in someone's field "Bonjour monsieur/madame, avez-vous un peu d'espace dans vos champs pour un/deux/trois tentes pour un nuit?" quiet often it works if you're looking friendly but slightly knackered, and I've had great nights spent in farm kitchens struggling to understand what's being said to me through a gitane and alcohol haze, followed by a very sound sleep and breakfast thrown in.

Oh and you're got a PM too.

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I was in France late September/early October last year and had no real issues finding camp sites that were available. Yes, some were closed, but other alternatives were easily located. Camping Municipal also gets my vote; cheap with reasonable facilities.

Avoid the temptation to pre-book (it really is not necessary) as this puts an additional, needless constraint, on your trip.

I have that book, and it's been quite useful in the past. One point to note; if it says "Camping Naturelle" it means that everyone's starkers, not that it's a very scenic site. Live n learn ...


Mup.

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More malformed, irrelevant opinions here.