A dog-friendly trip through France
Massimo Negrello
Dog-friendly travel expert, Lottie Gross, presents her dog-friendly itinerary, bookable through the Byway Concierge team.
Know before you go:
Dogs are allowed on all trains in France but there are a few rules to follow and, most importantly, they must have their own ticket. Dog tickets must be purchased manually by you at the train station for each leg of your journey. To save time on future journeys, you can purchase all your dog tickets in one go at Calais Frethun or Calais Ville from a ticket office. Don’t forget to have these to hand when boarding your next connections.
If your dog is under 6kg, they can travel in a carrier on your lap or under the seat (carriers should be no more than 45 cm x 30 cm x 25 cm). If over 6kg, they must be leashed and muzzled. More information here.
Generally, the French are as mad about dogs as the Brits, so expect to be able to take your dog into the majority of restaurants and on most terraces outdoors. There are, of course, some rules you should know:
Dogs are required to be on a lead from April 15 through to June 30th every year in forests, meadows and riverbanks unless they are on an official path. This rule is to protect ground nesting birds and other wildlife; pack a longline to offer your dog a little extra freedom while keeping them under control. Fines of up to 750 EUR can be given if rules are broken.
There are several banned breeds in France that are common in the UK, including the Staffordshire Terrier and Mastiff, and other breeds with significant restrictions placed upon them (muzzles; requirements for pedigree paperwork), such as Rottweilers. Check information here to ascertain whether your dog might come under such rules.
Some bus companies in France don’t allow dogs; it varies from region to region, so check in advance if you plan to take buses.
The itinerary
john crozier
Travel: London to Ashford
Travel: Ashford to Calais (LePet Express)
Your minibus driver will collect you from Ashford International for the journey on the LeShuttle Eurotunnel train. Your dog will sit in a crate built into the minivan and you will be able to sit next to them. The journey is only 35 minutes on the train and there is ample time to let the dog out for a toilet stop once you’ve checked in; there is an enclosed dog area by the LeShuttle terminal and water bowls. Dogs are allowed inside the terminal.
Travel: Calais Frethun to Calais Ville
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Mario Guaman
Stay: Calais
Hotel options:
B&B Les Secrets des Loges
Holiday Inn Calais
Hotel Maurice
Welcome to France! This is one of Europe’s most dog-friendly destinations, and Calais itself is an excellent place for dogs thanks to its enormous sandy beach. It’s off limits to dogs during the summer season (15 May to 15 October), but outside of this they can run free responsibly. If you’re travelling during summer, wander along the promenade with the dog on a lead until you reach the dunes; this is Blériot-Plage, where dogs are allowed to roam year-round.
Look out for the Calais dragon on the promenade – a 12-metre-high mechanical dragon that roams the seafront with passengers on its back, breathing hot, blasts of fire into the air. In the town itself, morning strolls with the dog can be had around Parc Richelieu, and there’s a self-guided walking tour to follow to see all the main sights. Alternatively, look out for the town’s burgeoning collection of street art on another self-guided walking tour. Don’t miss a visit to the town’s dog-friendly citadel, or a stroll along the Canal des Pierrettes.
Here, seafood is the culinary highlight and at Le Grand Bleu, dogs are welcomed with water and fuss while you dine on exceptional local catches. Located right opposite the fish market, where fresh catches are for sale each day, it has some of the best seafood in town.
Top tip: The Imag’in bus network in Calais is dog-friendly and free to use.
Travel: Calais to Boulogne
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Clément Rémond
Stay: Boulogne-sur-Mer
Hotel options:
Evancy La Marina Boulogne-sur-Mer
Ibis Styles Boulogne Sur Mer Centre Cathedrale
L'enclos De L'evêché
Boulogne-sur-Mer is a fascinating port town on the Cote d’Opale, with a handsome old town at its heart. Wander its tangle of streets to see the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Belfry, and the Town Hall. Jardin Valentine Hugo is a beautiful leafy stroll on the ramparts of the medieval city walls, while a street art trail shows the modern, creative side to the city.
Boulogne’s beaches are out of bounds for dogs from 1 May to 30 September. But if you use the local trains you can explore the coast beyond and visit the year-round dog-friendly beach at Wimereux. From here, you can walk along the coastal path for around 90 minutes to reach Ambleteuse, which has another dog-friendly beach and a fascinating sea fort. Stop for a cracking dog-friendly lunch at Fort des Caps before the walk and train back.
Plenty of restaurants are dog-friendly in Boulogne-sur-Mer; for some pub food and French and Belgian beers, head to Café Leffe on the Place de la Resistance.
Travel: Boulougne to Paris
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Travel: Paris to Tours
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Benjamin Wedemeyer
Stay: Tours
Hotel options:
Hilton Garden Inn Tours Centre
Les Trésorières
Best Western Plus - L'artist Hotel Tours
In the heart of the Touraine Loire Valley, Tours is a thrilling, dynamic city with a young heart. Creativity abounds here, and it’s best explored with Food Tours In Tours, a dog-friendly food tour company that will take you to sample some of the city’s best bites by its most inventive chefs, with a side of history from your expert guide.
From Tours, a local train network connects you to some of the prettiest places in the Loire, including the iconic Chateau Chenonceau. Dogs are welcome inside the Chateau here, as long as you can carry them (and they won’t judge if you want to fireman’s carry your German Shepherd!). The gardens are extensive and entirely dog-friendly providing they’re on a lead.
Another worthy day trip from Tours is Amboise, where you can visit the castle where Leonardo da Vinci did some of his most famous works – Château du Clos Lucé – and the place where he’s now buried, Château Royal d'Amboise. Here, there are beautiful riverside walks and the great dog-friendly Art is an Ale brewery to round off your day at.
Top tip: Come in summer and the Touraine Loire Valley lights up with mini riverside festivals called guinguettes. Pop-up bars serving the region’s best wines abound; don’t miss a taste of the local sparkling wine to rival Champagne, Vouvray.
Don’t forget! To re-enter the UK, you will need a tapeworm treatment administered by a veterinarian and a signature in your AHC or pet passport between 24 and 120 hours prior to your arrival time. Make time in Tours to get an appointment at Clinique Vétérinaire des Docteurs Guiraud, Bodet et Hardy SCP (+33 2 47 38 22 22).
Travel: Tours to Paris
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Travel: Paris to Calais Ville
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Maria Tejada
Stay: Calais
Hotel options
B&B Les Secrets des Loges (9.5 booking.com)
Holiday Inn Calais (4/5 Tripadvisor)
Hotel Maurice (4/5 Tripadvisor)
Travel: Calais Ville to Calais Frethun
Don’t forget your dog ticket!
Travel: Calais to Ashford
Your minibus driver will collect you from Calais-Fréthun station.
Travel: Ashford to London train
To book Lottie's itinerary to France, please contact our concierge team to enquire.