Here's a reccommendation for a B B in the Dordogne. Le Relais du Pech. We stayed there a couple of y

We are driving through those regions, staying 4 nights in each, and then on to Haute Marne in early October. Will we need to book our accommodation before we leave Australia? We like modest B B or small inn-style places, nothing fancy. Can we just front up at nice-looking spots or will it all be booked out?
Also, we'd like to rent a car in Orleans (cannot even consider driving south out of Paris) and drop it off in either Nancy or Strasbourg. Sine I have never rented a car in Europe, I have no idea if that is possible or costly.
I don't know about the Loire, but in the Dordogne you shouldn't have a problem finding travel agents in ireland lodging as you go - but do keep in mind that, anywhere, that means taking a few hours sometimes out of your day to scope places out and decide on a stop for the night. Personally, I like to have it set up in advance so I don't lose, collectively, hours and hours or even days, of traveling, just finding a spot to lay my head. What I do if I want to "wing it" is have a cell phone and a bunch of good guidebooks with phone numbers for places I might want to stay at and call the day before or at least the morning of the day I want to arrive. If you're concentrating on small inns or B Bs in the countryside in France, though, unless you speak French, that could be a disadvantage.
travel agents in ireland French train schedules travel agents in ireland and pricing are at www.voyages-sncf.com travel agents in ireland . The earlier you book, the cheaper the prices. Look for PREM fares, though travel agents in ireland I have no idea if they are available for France-Amsterdam routes.
Here's a reccommendation for a B B in the Dordogne. Le Relais du Pech. We stayed there a couple of years ago, clean and comfortable, with a pool but not fancy. Great breakfast, a kitchen you can use and the owners, Ken and Linda (a retired English couple) were a wealth of knowledge about the area. Not in town, but located travel agents in ireland on a hillside overlooking a beautiful valley. About ten miles from Sarlat.