Has anyone taken their dog to a french campsite? We would like to do this but just can't imagine what it'd be like? We'd love to be driving distance to the Med (so we could do 2 or 3 trips there) but I know not all beaches will accept dogs. Or we might go for a riverside site instead.
So, can anyone recommend a site that would feel reasonably comfortable with a dog? I think we'd try to go for a mobile home/safari tent rather than our own tent (as space will be limited with dog on board).
How do you cope with using the swimming pool? Would we have to go in shifts so someone can look after the dog?
If they aren't allowed to run on beaches or around the campsite, how do they burn off energy?
Really I'd just like to find out what to expect, and would be grateful for any advice etc.
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Lots of people take dogs to French campsites - and riverside sites often have river beaches where dogs can access the river to cool down. We took our sons dog to a Mediterranean beach but It was too hot, shadeless and he was miserable. At a riverside campsite in the Ardeche he swam, swam, picked up stones and swam some more. We didn't use.the site pool, but swam with him in the river alongside the site and in other nearby rivers. You have to change your holiday to make it suit your dog. Almost all of the riverside sites in the Ardeche, Gorges du Tarn, Dordogne, and.Lot would be suitable, and from the.first two areas you can access the Med in a couple of hours. Most beaches, though, don't allow.dogs in July and August, and some throughout the year.
We've been camping in France for 10 years - the last two with a dog. We prefer inland sites anyway and if you stay on a site with a nice lake or river beach you'll find you'd rather be there than by a pool. You'll find France very doggy friendly - eating out isn't a problem and alot of attractions allow dogs (apart from those which have animals obviously) - we took ours to an underground grotto last year - strangest walk she'd ever had! We have also found that the sites we have stayed on have some green space next to them, or nearby, for a good run - ours is a whippet and she needs to run!
That's super helpful - thank you both!
Our kids are huge fans of pool swimming - so I'm thinking we might just have to let them do that while we do dog-sitting/riverside! This is encouraging though, as we were half thinking we might have to forego our camping for some sort of gite / mini villa (but again if we're not totally on our own we'd have restrictions there too).
Are we best to avoid the Med idea? Or is someone going come along and tell us the med is actually fab with furry ones!
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Hi,
We had our dog with us for the second part of our holiday last year, so late August, early September. We also choose sites next to rivers near to Le Puy & in Provence. It was hot but he was happy; he swam a lot & we had a wet micro fibre scarf round his neck most of the time. All the obvious things like shade (under the folding camper was the preferred place!) & plenty of fresh cold water available, walking in the early morning/evening when it’s cooler. The last week of holiday was back at Les Sablons on the Med; the far end of Portiragnes Plage is dog friendly, He coped with the heat much better than we expected (he’s a springer spaniel/collie cross)
Fiona
We have been taking our springer spaniel to France for the last 6 years. Last year we went to Narbonne in August. (very hot). We took her for walks early morning, mid day and at night. When we went to the site swimming pool, we left her in the car, in the shade with the rear door and windows open. We also visited a v large cave which was nice and cool. (She provided comfort to young children!)
She had nice swims in the med and access to a large parasol.
It is important to protect against sandflies and mozzies which can transmit Leshmaniosis which is a nasty disease. We used Advantix and had electric and candle fly repellents as well. I would advise against taking dogs with thick coats as far south.
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Hi fcal, I guess it depends on what you want to do on holiday. Having a dog with us would stop us doing things we want to do, going into places we want to visit and seeing things we want to see. It would be just too restrictive for us in every way.
We have taken our two whippets for the past 3 or 4 years, as we go away for too long for it to be economic for them to be left behind. They are fine mostly in the heat, but aren't keen on water, so the swimming issue has never arisen. For the most part we have gone to rural sites and there is usually somewhere nearby where they can be run off the lead - the site can often suggest somewhere. As we have moved around a fair bit, it hasn't mattered too much if this isn't the case. There is always somewhere to walk them off site - but you must clear up, of course.
Having dogs with us does restrict our activities, but they are perfectly happy left in a shaded, well-ventilated caravan for a couple of hours while we go shopping or have some lunch. They just go to sleep. This, for us, is preferable to taking them with us, as they don't really like too many journeys in the car, but wouldn't suit everyone. As a side benefit, it also means that we don't have to close up the caravan completely and that it is protected!
Where the heat was really bad last year, we stayed on site and, where necessary, used damp towels and a fan to keep them comfortable.
------------- Freedom is a light caravan and an open road.
We take our Springer Spaniel with us each year and tend to go inland with access to a river such as the Dordogne or Ardeche and spend a lot of time swimming and paddling together.
Some sites also have dog showers which we have used to help keep her cool.
We always request a shaded pitch and have fans in the caravan, a shammy (however you spell it) leather retains cold water and helps to keep her cool. We also have a great cooling bed bought from b&m
Sorry posted to quick! The cooling bed is a dog bed that goes really cold when sat on and was a great buy.
Ours is fine in the caravan for a couple of hours while we visit the pool with our kids but i'm thinking a tent maybe harder to keep cool than a caravan?
We've been as far as the Ardeche but personally for us it was a bit too far with the dog and 2 young children whilst towing the caravan.
Dogs seem to be welcome in most places in France so you will probably find you can take them with you a lot of the time when you do venture out.
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Thanks again - I'm learning lots here - dog showers and cooling beds!
The shower one reminded me of a funny Twitter thread on campsite signs today - one was "Do not wash your pets in this sink, it is for dishes only"!!
I do think being able to leave her for an hour or two will give us a bit more freedom.
We'll do a couple of uk trips before so hopefully that'll give us some idea of what to expect too.
We've also been camping with our dog in france for several years.
We only do Normandy, not as hot as in the south, but that isn't to say temps haven't reached the 30s.
We always book near the sea, not cultivated beaches and find that 2 or 3 trips everyday to the beach tires him out. And as we camp we cannot leave him to go shopping etc, so one of stays with him in the car with aircon on or boot open for the supermarket runs.
My OH doesn't swim so I toddle off to the camps pool a couple of times a day if I want. Our dog has a damp towel over him if the temps rise too much.
Otherwise he comes with us wherever we go, a lot of the memorials accept dogs and as others have said so do bars and restaurants.
Just relax and enjoy the fun your dog will bring you.
We found cool mats/beds didn't work as the dog simply did not like the feel of them.
So last year we got him this which he took to no bother. When wet it feels just like a chamois, and just rinse under the tap if dog rolls with it on.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
We are at Camping Les Tamaris, Frontignan Plage, South of France.We have our dog with us, asual.The site is right on the beach, although there are signs saying no dogs, there are plenty of dogs exercised on the beach. In low season, nobody bothers, I suspect it might be different in July/ August.
It is 19€ per night with ACSI, but €54 per night in August.
John
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: anyone taken dog to S France campsite
