I camp using lightweight equipment carrying everything on my bike and staying in cheaper sites with basic but good facilities. Eating out in France is cheaper than in the UK and of much better quality. You can eat well for not too much money and the French being French know where every good place to eat is situated and are only too pleased when you ask them. Most French would say that the area around Lyon is where the best food is found, and having lived there I have to agree. Burgandy is pretty good also and the countryside is great.I tend to buy at the markets and cook my own but as I spend every day pedalling with only night stops most of my diet consists of what the Newfoundland fishermen call "good work food". Oatmeal,bananas.bread,pasta,couscous,fruit and green veg.You do need lots of water especially cycling in July/August down below the Loire. Cemetries are good for this as they usually have a tap (faucet).The summer before last I was drinking a litre an hour. I do dine out when this becomes boring but I tend to cover a lot of ground and need to eat the right food to keep this up. France may not be big by US standards but is various in nature that you can never be bored and all kinds of country can be found there. If you do get around to coming over let me know. Regards, George.