1st France holiday with a dog - any advice/recommendations?
Discussion
Coming from Central Scotland I don't personally know anyone that's done this to ask for advice, but you lot seem like a well-travelled bunch!
Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
Ah, Mum and Dad do this trip 2 - 3 times a year with their dog.
you need a passport for the dog, and to ensure you can get your dog to a vet in France 48 hours before you head back to the UK.
Have a look at brittany ferries they have dog friendly cabins on some of the routes, so get a night ferry over could be an option as it would save you the overnight stay on the south coast.
you need a passport for the dog, and to ensure you can get your dog to a vet in France 48 hours before you head back to the UK.
Have a look at brittany ferries they have dog friendly cabins on some of the routes, so get a night ferry over could be an option as it would save you the overnight stay on the south coast.
Going in March means you don't have to worry about the heat - this opens up the whole country. France is an exceptionally dog welcoming country, even to the point you can see dedicated dog toilet areas in some towns/cities.
Brittany Ferries do dog cabins - book early. Brittany operate the much longer western routes (Caen and further west, they are dropping Le Havre).
The obvious benefit of a Dover crossing is that it is much shorter. The train allows dogs, but obviously they must stay in the car, restrained.
Brittany Ferries do dog cabins - book early. Brittany operate the much longer western routes (Caen and further west, they are dropping Le Havre).
The obvious benefit of a Dover crossing is that it is much shorter. The train allows dogs, but obviously they must stay in the car, restrained.
Thanks, we might do an overnight anyway just as the trip from Scotland down is a 7hr/8hr drive in itself so I'd rather stop for the day at that point, though I suppose if we can rest on the ferry in a cabin that serves the same purpose as a hotel and cuts a day off the trip either way.
Happy to do ferry or train (dog has been over to Ireland on the ferry and just stayed in the car), I guess it'll come down to a mix of cost and where in France each takes us in terms of being convenient for the onward journey - really have no idea at all what region we may wish to go to, early stages of looking at what each has to offer.
Happy to do ferry or train (dog has been over to Ireland on the ferry and just stayed in the car), I guess it'll come down to a mix of cost and where in France each takes us in terms of being convenient for the onward journey - really have no idea at all what region we may wish to go to, early stages of looking at what each has to offer.
Neil-nvaua said:
Thanks, we might do an overnight anyway just as the trip from Scotland down is a 7hr/8hr drive in itself so I'd rather stop for the day at that point, though I suppose if we can rest on the ferry in a cabin that serves the same purpose as a hotel and cuts a day off the trip either way.
Happy to do ferry or train (dog has been over to Ireland on the ferry and just stayed in the car), I guess it'll come down to a mix of cost and where in France each takes us in terms of being convenient for the onward journey - really have no idea at all what region we may wish to go to, early stages of looking at what each has to offer.
Yes we always do an overnight on the ferry as you say the run down from central Scotland is not short and you need to get a night somewhere, so the ferry is a good two birds one stone. Did a day crossing once did feel like a poor use of time. Happy to do ferry or train (dog has been over to Ireland on the ferry and just stayed in the car), I guess it'll come down to a mix of cost and where in France each takes us in terms of being convenient for the onward journey - really have no idea at all what region we may wish to go to, early stages of looking at what each has to offer.
I would suggest once you know which route you are to take there and back ensure you look for a vet, one with a smattering of English would not go a miss?
We went to the Dolomites last year, first time abroad with our dog, bit easier as we're on the south coast, but the local vets recommended PassPets which have a few offices in the South to go through your paperwork. £99 to do everything for you.
You need to have had a Rabies jab at least 3 months before going, and then worm treatment within 5 days of coming back. I just searched for vets near where we were staying on the way back in Germany, sent them an email and they got back fairly quickly booking us in. Passpets were good as they gave you clear instructions of what needed to be signed before coming back and to ensure nothing was missing. This cost about £30 or so and they just gave us the worming tablet which was exactly the same as the stuff we get from our vet at home.
This was out and back via Eurotunnel which again was a straight forward check of the paperwork and microchip and an extra £30 each way...
Our friends recently went to Île de Ré with their Border Terrier and said it was great.
You need to have had a Rabies jab at least 3 months before going, and then worm treatment within 5 days of coming back. I just searched for vets near where we were staying on the way back in Germany, sent them an email and they got back fairly quickly booking us in. Passpets were good as they gave you clear instructions of what needed to be signed before coming back and to ensure nothing was missing. This cost about £30 or so and they just gave us the worming tablet which was exactly the same as the stuff we get from our vet at home.
This was out and back via Eurotunnel which again was a straight forward check of the paperwork and microchip and an extra £30 each way...
Our friends recently went to Île de Ré with their Border Terrier and said it was great.
SoliD said:
Our friends recently went to Île de Ré with their Border Terrier and said it was great.
This would be my top recommendation - amazing dog-friendly beaches and a beautiful area. Normandy and Brittany are also worth a look. We've often stayed in Normandy (e.g. Honfleur) on our way down to Île de Ré just to break up the journey. But you can't really go wrong in France: it's a lot more dog-friendly than the UK and (unlike here) hotels and restaurants that don't accept dogs tend to be the exception rather than the rule.Personally, I'd always choose the Eurotunnel over the ferries. It's all over in well under an hour, and your dog stays with you in the car. Ours barely even notices the process.
One thing: a lot of places shut up for the winter, so I'd do a bit of homework on what's actually open in March. Many of the towns on Île de Ré are probably pretty dead at that time of year.
NoTreadLeft said:
But you can't really go wrong in France: it's a lot more dog-friendly than the UK and (unlike here) hotels and restaurants that don't accept dogs tend to be the exception rather than the rule.
I don't know why I expected it to be the opposite, but this is welcome news!Thanks for all the comments re routes - we are fortunate I guess in that coming from up North it doesn't make a huge difference where we aim for as an exit point from the UK. Brittany Ferries seem expensive compared to LeShuttle for the example journeys I priced up, but will spend more time on it as I don't know what difference it makes changing between the 4 destinations they sail to from Portsmouth.
Any recommendations for websites for accommodation - the French equivalent of sykes cottages/cottages.com/holidaycottages.co.uk perhaps? Or are the big sites like air bnb, booking.com or expedia worth a look?
Neil-nvaua said:
Coming from Central Scotland I don't personally know anyone that's done this to ask for advice, but you lot seem like a well-travelled bunch!
Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
We have done the UK to France/Spain with our small doodle since 2013. Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
Our choice is Eurotunnel but we have used Britanny Ferries a couple of times so have plenty of feed back if you want?
Neil-nvaua said:
Any recommendations for websites for accommodation - the French equivalent of sykes cottages/cottages.com/holidaycottages.co.uk perhaps? Or are the big sites like air bnb, booking.com or expedia worth a look?
We tend to find airbnb has the best selection. For hotels, the Logis Hotels website is good at the budget end and Relais & Châteaux if you want to splash out a bit. Both have dog-friendly filters.Neil-nvaua said:
Coming from Central Scotland I don't personally know anyone that's done this to ask for advice, but you lot seem like a well-travelled bunch!
Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
We've done it a few times. It's a Chihuahua thought so easy to cart around.Driving down and would plan to stop off South coast of England for an overnight on way there and back so that gives us wide open options in terms of ferries or channel tunnel - any recommendations either way?
We've been to just about every country in Europe (without the dog) but never France so it's all new to us. What regions should we consider with a dog in tow? Both of us love being outdoors - beaches, forests, hiking - and the dog is a Labrador so of course loves being in and around water. No kids to worry about.
Villa or hotel, and any recommendations for where to find good dog-friendly places?
Planning to go next March so have time to prepare and hopefully that's sufficiently in advance to book ferries/tunnel and accommodation.
The French are very accommodating with dogs (so is Italy and Switzerland). We found it dead easy. Every hotel we contacted allowed dogs from cheap B&Bs, boutique hotels right through to the Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace. (some wouldn't allow under 16yr old children though!!)
We went on the Ferry the first time and had to leave the dog in the car, rather than take him with us. Used the Tunnel since.
The one thing we hadn't been told for the first visit was the need for the mandatory tapeworm treatment required to be given by a vet 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before you arrive back in the UK. We got to Calais the first time only to be told at the Ferry passport control.
Queue a race to find a vet and an extra night accommodation near Calais!!
RESSE said:
Our choice is Eurotunnel but we have used Britanny Ferries a couple of times so have plenty of feed back if you want?
Yes please - other than cost and where each arrives in France it'd be good to have other feedback to compare the options against each other.TheHeadhunter said:
The one thing we hadn't been told for the first visit was the need for the mandatory tapeworm treatment required to be given by a vet 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before you arrive back in the UK. We got to Calais the first time only to be told at the Ferry passport control.
Queue a race to find a vet and an extra night accommodation near Calais!!
The dog side of things is actually the first thing I researched - probably because we are just back from Ireland with him so had to get a certificate for that, get his microchip checked, dug out his vaccination card and so on.Queue a race to find a vet and an extra night accommodation near Calais!!
MDT said:
Ah, Mum and Dad do this trip 2 - 3 times a year with their dog.
you need a passport for the dog, and to ensure you can get your dog to a vet in France 48 hours before you head back to the UK.
Have a look at brittany ferries they have dog friendly cabins on some of the routes, so get a night ferry over could be an option as it would save you the overnight stay on the south coast.
You need to have an AHC, not a passport now. The government have back tracked on them. There's a useful group on Facebook for latest info (search animal health certificate).you need a passport for the dog, and to ensure you can get your dog to a vet in France 48 hours before you head back to the UK.
Have a look at brittany ferries they have dog friendly cabins on some of the routes, so get a night ferry over could be an option as it would save you the overnight stay on the south coast.
NoTreadLeft said:
SoliD said:
Our friends recently went to Île de Ré with their Border Terrier and said it was great.
This would be my top recommendation - amazing dog-friendly beaches and a beautiful area. Normandy and Brittany are also worth a look. We've often stayed in Normandy (e.g. Honfleur) on our way down to Île de Ré just to break up the journey. But you can't really go wrong in France: it's a lot more dog-friendly than the UK and (unlike here) hotels and restaurants that don't accept dogs tend to be the exception rather than the rule.Personally, I'd always choose the Eurotunnel over the ferries. It's all over in well under an hour, and your dog stays with you in the car. Ours barely even notices the process.
One thing: a lot of places shut up for the winter, so I'd do a bit of homework on what's actually open in March. Many of the towns on Île de Ré are probably pretty dead at that time of year.
We have been to France, Portugal, the UK and are in Northern Spain and found the UK being more dog friendly than the others I've mentioned.
mr pg said:
You need to have an AHC, not a passport now. The government have back tracked on them. There's a useful group on Facebook for latest info (search animal health certificate).
After the latest Brexit bonus pet passport rule change in April, we used AHC Online based on Folkestone where you book ahead, pick up and trundle down to the ferry.We always leave our labrador in the car with windows open and alarms neutralized. The car is his safe space, and we always find him fast asleep after the ferry docks 90 minutes later.
Also look up the Michelin Guide. There are some very reasonably priced Bib restaurants/auberges which also offer rooms. All the ones we have tried are dog friendly including the dining room.
Edited by HocusPocus on Thursday 30th July 16:22
Neil-nvaua said:
RESSE said:
Our choice is Eurotunnel but we have used Britanny Ferries a couple of times so have plenty of feed back if you want?
Yes please - other than cost and where each arrives in France it'd be good to have other feedback to compare the options against each other.TheHeadhunter said:
The one thing we hadn't been told for the first visit was the need for the mandatory tapeworm treatment required to be given by a vet 24 to 120 hours (1 to 5 days) before you arrive back in the UK. We got to Calais the first time only to be told at the Ferry passport control.
Queue a race to find a vet and an extra night accommodation near Calais!!
The dog side of things is actually the first thing I researched - probably because we are just back from Ireland with him so had to get a certificate for that, get his microchip checked, dug out his vaccination card and so on.Queue a race to find a vet and an extra night accommodation near Calais!!
We live in Shropshire and travel down to Ashford/Folkestone for Eurotunnel we have stayed at a pub/hotel in Ashford a few times, it was 'ok' but much prefer getting into France for late afternoon and overnight in Gosnay (Junction 6 A26) which is about an hour from Eurotunnel/Calais - a fabulous hotel and chateaux.
Most trips we have been to Costa Blanca with overnights at Hotel Ibis (inexpensive, basic and fine for one night) - Limoges/Montauban/Perignan and usually no more than 450 miles a day.
UK TO FRANCE ILE D'OLERON (EUROTUNNEL)
Overnight in Trouville-sur-Mer (nice hotel, plenty of paring and central town location, second night Rochefort Hotel La Cordiere Royale (very pleasant) and good restaurants close by). Return overnight at La Berteliers @ Saint-Martin-du/Vivier.
All of the hotels were good and great with our doodle and rather than puts load of phptos on here I can email them to you - France (and Spain) is a great place to take your dogs and we have been lucky not to have had any issues.
Animal Health Certificate, as some have pointed out, and the AHC needs to be completed by your UK vet and then your dog requires a worm tablet 48 hours before return to the UK (wait 24 hours after the treatment before you re-enter the UK and return within 5 days (120 hours) of the treatment.
Our vet charges £250 for an AHC which included certified copies of her old Pet Passport.
Prior to your return to the UK, confirmation of the worm treatment needs to signed/stamped and detailed on the AHC by a French vet (page 4) - the last time we paid approx. 33 Euros for this.
I understand it is now (2026) not possible for UK residents to obtain EU Pet Passports.
https://www.leshuttle.com/uk-en/travelling-with-us...
UK TO SPAIN/BRITTANY FERRIES
Portsmouth to Bilbao - used Brittany Ferries a few times (Baie de Seine - 'budget' boat not sure if still available and Cap Finstere). Personally I prefer the flexibility of Eurotunnel and the dog friendly cabins get booked months in advance. I think there were 14 dog cabins on Cap Finistere and this boat has been replaced? The weather in the Bay of Biscay can make for a choppy journey and the dog exercise deck stinks - most unpleasant as they clean it with some sort of chemical that is very pungent.
[i]Personally[i] Eurotunnel has worked well for us.
mart 63 said:
As for being dog friendly, we are 10 weeks into our motorhome trip with our dog.
We have been to France, Portugal, the UK and are in Northern Spain and found the UK being more dog friendly than the others I've mentioned.
So I guess you aren't using hotels or airbnb then. And as a matter of interest how many Michelin starred restaurants have you tried to take your dog into in France vs. UK?We have been to France, Portugal, the UK and are in Northern Spain and found the UK being more dog friendly than the others I've mentioned.
Thanks everyone for taking the time to give a load of useful advice so far - think we'll get to it making decisions and at least booking the cross-channel train or ferry as we will have more flexibility with accommodation.
I have to say when we got the dog 18mths ago we thought holidays abroad were over, but I'm quite excited now about doing some longer road trips and it seems a lot more straightforward than I'd thought it would be, with plenty of options.
I have to say when we got the dog 18mths ago we thought holidays abroad were over, but I'm quite excited now about doing some longer road trips and it seems a lot more straightforward than I'd thought it would be, with plenty of options.
Don't get stung at your local vet for the AHC, there's a facebook page specifically around AHCs and they have a map of people offering AHCs for far less than your vet will charge.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214994374045047
Got ours booked for start of August for £95 from a local provider (it's then £75 for any AHCs for the same dog afterwards). The vets around here were over £250.
Also, make sure you've got an up to date Rabies vaccination as well.
We've been to Provence with ours previously and going again this year. 2 weeks in a Villa with air con and a pool and a couple of hotels each way to break up the journeys. Most IBIS hotels accept dogs in the room for approx. £5 per night.
We used P&O Dover the Calais last time as they had a Pet Lounge on the boat, but it was only £10 cheaper for the ferry over the tunnel this time so we're on the tunnel in August. There were loads and loads of people with dogs on the tunnel when I went across in June.
For booking places I've used VRBO last time and this time, but there is of course Air BnB
https://www.facebook.com/groups/214994374045047
Got ours booked for start of August for £95 from a local provider (it's then £75 for any AHCs for the same dog afterwards). The vets around here were over £250.
Also, make sure you've got an up to date Rabies vaccination as well.
We've been to Provence with ours previously and going again this year. 2 weeks in a Villa with air con and a pool and a couple of hotels each way to break up the journeys. Most IBIS hotels accept dogs in the room for approx. £5 per night.
We used P&O Dover the Calais last time as they had a Pet Lounge on the boat, but it was only £10 cheaper for the ferry over the tunnel this time so we're on the tunnel in August. There were loads and loads of people with dogs on the tunnel when I went across in June.
For booking places I've used VRBO last time and this time, but there is of course Air BnB
Edited by towser44 on Thursday 30th July 19:02
Edited by towser44 on Thursday 30th July 19:03
Edited by towser44 on Thursday 30th July 19:08
Edited by towser44 on Thursday 30th July 19:10
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