Those wishing to travel to France and to take their dog with them are going to the right place. In France there is one pet dog for every eight people, which is second only to the United States. Dogs are welcome in France in nearly every place a tourist is. Inhabitants of the European Union can now move easily across borders without lengthy quarantines. North Americans too can quite easily bring their pets to Europe.
Getting There: Dog Air Travel or Going by Car
Having made the decision to take a pet abroad, the first step is to ensure that the pet has a valid EU passport or international travel documents. These may take several months to get, but once the dog has his or her papers it is simply a matter of keeping vaccines up to date.
The next decision that needs to be made is how to get to France. If travelling from faraway continents, pet airline travel may be the only choice. In that case, further research is necessary as not all airlines, or indeed airports, will accept dogs. There is also the additional fee of transport and a dog travel crate. Very small dogs can often travel in the cabin, but larger dogs will have to go with luggage.
If driving to France is an option, it is quite possibly the simplest one. In the very rare case that there is a customs officer at the border, the dog’s passport simply needs to be shown and tattoo (valid only until 2011) or microchip may be inspected to ensure identity. Do note that ferries often allow dogs only on the car deck and that these car decks are often quite noisy.
With an extensive European railway network, train travel is also a possibility. It is imperative to make oneself aware of the different rail companies’ rules and regulations as it is customary in some countries for dogs to wear muzzles or travel in crates.
Somewhere to Stay: Pet Friendly Hotels and Gîtes
Finding hotels that allow pets is quite easy in France, especially these days when it is generally a matter of using a hotel search engine and ticking the “pets” box. The same goes for gîtes, those lovely and often picturesque holiday homes France is renowned for.
Before making a booking it can be worthwhile to ring up the hotel or gîte owner and ask specifically about their rules for dogs, as some hotels or gîtes may not allow dogs to be on their own for any period of time. If that is a problem, it is certainly better not to have it be a surprise!
Eating Out: Dog-Friendly Restaurants
Dogs are universally accepted in the outdoor seating area of French eateries and will often automatically be served a bowl of fresh water. They are also often allowed inside, if well-behaved, as long as there is no sign stating otherwise. It is, however, polite to make sure and ask before bringing Fido inside.
Tourism in France with a Dog in Tow
Dogs may not be allowed inside the Eiffel Tower or the Château de Versailles, and highly trafficked state-owned museums often have a “no-dogs” sign, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Private establishments generally welcome dogs, and the many local French tourism websites and brochures tend to provide information about where dogs are welcome.
That said, it should be noted that the French generally have small to medium sized dogs. Thus, when a museum announces that it allows dogs they may expect dogs to be carried through parts of the exhibition, which naturally isn’t feasible with the 80 kilos (175 lbs) of a St. Bernard.
Helpful Hints and Friendly Tips
- If visiting France during high tourism season, it is useful to book any necessary French veterinary visits before going, or at least to ensure that the clinics with drop-in hours are not closed for holidays. France is full of veterinarians, but who wants to spend their holiday worrying about it?
- Before going to France it may be prudent to pack a couple of photographs of the dog in case he gets lost. A holiday dog tag is also cheap insurance and can be furnished with mobile phone numbers complete with country-code. Even if the dog already has an everyday tag with a phone number on it, the French won’t know where he is from and thus won’t know how to dial the number!
- France is home to some nasty pests, such as heartworm and the brown dog tick. A veterinarian will be able to provide information about how to avoid them.
Emma Oxenby Wohlfart - E P Wohlfart decided at age 14 that she was going to move to Scotland for university. Once there, she often sat in class thinking to ...
