Could try harder... - France

I know this is a bit of an unproductive field report but I vowed to put the good and bad nights on here not just my rose tinted nights.
Yesterday I drove to Arachon (near Bordeaux), with some mates for a week long guys camping/drinking/beach trip. 3 of us and another flying out today.

Last night we had dinner and hit a few bars near beach strip, it's Thursday at the resort so more family oriented and holiday makers are 95% French.

My mates arnt into pickup and happy to chat and have a laugh which fine. We're at a bar around this beer barrel table all talking, near end of our drinks I spot these two cute 25ish French girls chatting at table next to us. I'm chatting to mates but now I'm thinking about the girls lol

I turn to them and say excuse me, then say we're discussing good bars to go and can they recommend anything? They seem to like being posed the question and are keen to offer advice, I say thanks and mention how we've just arrived and have found the place really inviting so far. Chat for another minute then I get in my head, bail. (It was a bit harder as my mates we're just chatting amongst themselves and not really joining in).

We leave, hit a few more bars chatting to mates, there were opportunities around.

The main reasons I can think of for my lack of action:

It was first day here and tiring long drive
No momentum of talking to new people during day
A lot of self imposed goals that the evening would be approach evening
(Postscript makes a good point about going out to have fun not with approach expectation so it can grow organically)
Friends are more comfortable chatting in group so less of a call to action to approach
Resort is heavily French speaking (although that shouldn't be a barrier?)
I didn't build on first approach, usually by 2 or 3rd momentum hits in

It's a new day today, we're off to beach and then a big one tonight and 4th mate arrives who is a bit more outgoing. It will be good to chill out during the day, hopefully be social to most people I see, have fun and not beat self up too much, the holiday is young.

Next action steps: go out to have fun and be in the moment
When I do approach, try not to bail so soon. Go for the number at some point in the interaction.