Asking your buddies for one of their bikes probably isn’t the best move if you ask me. Guys treat their motorcycles like their firstborn, that’s basically asking to take their girlfriend out on a date. Owners renting their bikes out directly tend to charge a way fairer price anyway, no strings attached. You can rent a motorcycle in France here: https://getrentacar.com/en-US/motorcycle-rental/france . You’ll find everything from sport bikes to heavy Harleys, so just go with whatever you’d actually feel comfortable riding.