4 of us, two couples, are planning two weeks in France, mid to late October. Should we reserve accomodations in Normandy and Brittany, or book on the fly? Looking at small hotels or B&B's. Thanks for the input.
It is just a question of how flexible you are. Twenty years ago you really had no choice as the ability to make reservations was very limited. Now it is the reverse. At that time it would be easier to do it on the fly as the crowds are less. You might id three or four places that would be acceptable to you in each location and call a day or two before. I would not have any reservation about winging it but make sure both couples are on the same page. My brother would never travel without every reservation pinned down twice. For us, as long as the bed is flat we are OK.
No matter when you book, there will be people out there that plan ahead and book in advance. They'll take what they consider the best places at the best prices. If you wait, you'll get what they didn't want.
What would be the reason for not getting reservations in advance? Because you want to explore the area in a spontaneous way and linger where you want to, or skip things you find you don't like? I mean, if that's the case and you're not too picky, you'd probably be fine. But flexibility is going to be key. Oh, and a car, obviously. But if your itinerary is already pretty much set you might as well give yourself the peace of mind and make reservations.
Thanks for the responses. We will continue to discuss as we have several months to figure it out.