France, camping - with a dog!!

[RiderGirl]

I posted a while ago asking for recommendations for campsites in the South of France, and had some great suggestions. I've booked the ferry today (Newhaven to Dieppe) for the beginning of August, two weeks. We will be taking our pop top American style trailer tent, it'll be me, DH, DD23 and DD15 - and now a little dog who is coming to live with us tomorrow!!

So I'm thinking absolutely NOT the south of France as it'll be too hot for a dog. Would absolutely love any recommendations for interesting/cultural/scenic places to visit/camp towards the west coast, staying a few days in each place - bonus points for (A) enough to keep DDs interested (B) not enormously expensive (C) dog friendly. Would like to end up on a beach campsite for a few days before heading back.

There’s a really nice beach in Saint valery sur Somme that is massive, dog friendly and plenty of campsites nearby. We went to the Loire Valley area last year and to La Rochelle and were surprised at the lack of beaches that allow dogs in peak time. Found a lovely one on Ile de Re but it really took a lot of searching for it. It was lovely though and would like to go back and stay on the island. The other beaches we were only allowed to look at! Eurocamp sites seem good, with lots of facilities, but EU plugs rather than normal EHU (first time we needed this and had toured France, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Italy previously). We booked some direct and others through camping and caravanning site.

Thank you I will check those beaches out! We're hoping to end up near La Rochelle, do you know the name of the beach that's dog friendly at all?

If you are taking your dog to anywhere in Europe, please ensure you get them a Scalibor Collar. This can help to prevent Leishmaniasis as it repels the sandfly (which we do not have here in the UK). It’s not a legal requirement for travel but mine don’t travel without one. Leishmania is a nasty disease so best to take measures to try to prevent it.

We stayed (camped) in Les Mathes (in 2012 so a long time ago). Further down the coast from La Rochelle at the mouth ot the Gironde River. I don't know if it was dog friendly but you could hear the surf at night - it was lovely.

Le Mané Guernehué campsite in Brittany allows dogs and there are actually a few dog friendly beaches nearby, including Mane Guen, Lizeau and Drehen which allow dogs all year round. The campsite has a good pool complex with waterslides and a lazy river and there’s even a riding school onsite.

Tent camping? It could be very very hot. I second Les Mathes or La Palmyre or I'le D'Oleron but must of the beaches are not dog friendly although all the restaurants / shops / cafes are. It will be very hot for a dog in the summer in a tent. We have a mobile down that wat and leave the dog in with the ac on during the day.

Please make sure you have fully checked in the Legalitoes of Pet passport, vaccinations, papers etc and have a vet booked to do the inspection before your return visit etc. also you don’t even know if your dog will be one of those unfortunate ones that get travel sick. One of ours couldn’t go more than 4 miles in a car before they projectile vomited and no medication would really help, we had to basically give her prescribed sleeping/sedative pills and she would still vomit in her sleep and then spend days shaking and whimpering . It was awful and not something we has ever encountered with any other dogs.

Also, the vet that we used to see on the way back home for the worming told us that many holiday dogs were hospitalised because they drank too much sea water so be careful of that!

My DD went to France camping a few years ago and was planning on taking their dog. They ended up leaving it with us which thankfully they did as although they were on the Brittany coast and northern France for the first week it was well into the high 30s and the dog would really have struggled. So think again, personally I’d leave my dog at home.

I’ve taken dogs camping in S France a number of times.
A crate is very useful for them to have some down time and sleep at night, not in the tent.

A thin cover for the crate which lets air flow is helpful if they struggle to settle outdoors.

A tarp in case it rains and just plan your day around watery spots to keep them cool.

Thanks all, I'm taking comments and suggestions on board! There is the potential that we could leave him with a friend and I'm aware that taking him might be a pain in the rear end! He is a good traveller though and has done long campervan trips away with the person we've rehomed him from so that's one thing! We're planning on staying at sites with shady pitches and electric so will be able to take a fan etc

British pet passports no longer valid now - thanks Brexit. You need an Animal Health Certificate (it’s about 10 pages long and vets hate them lol). Your ddog will need a rabies shot before you go and may require bloods for viral load. Please please research what you have to do.

We stayed at Le Paradis in the Dordogne last year and going back for 3 weeks this summer again. Lots of dogs! Beautiful site!!!

We have taken our dog tent camping in that area for a number of years, we go Eurotunnel to Calais and take 3 nights to drive down to our end destination, which is south of Bordeaux camping on the way. France is really really dog friendly, we haven't been anywhere where you can't take the dog, except bigger supermarkets.

If it's a really hot day we stay in the shade, all campsites are usually set up with shady areas, not like a big field. We have found that the temp is usually ok for our medium sized terrier, he is not keen on the heat but we set up with shade and water for him and he snooze for most of the day

Never had a problem finding a vet for the way back, we speak very basic french so usually get the campsite to call them up and book us in. Be wary of touristy areas where some vet's try and hike the prices up, we pay around 45-50 Euros for the worming tablet and signing of the documents. Our dog now has an Irish passport but we have travelled with the new stupidly expensive UK doc as well.

Ile d'Oleron was not dog friendly - there were very few beaches that allowed dogs. There were a few dogs in the campsite we stayed in but they had to be on leads at all times other than in the dog exercise area. We saw quite a few dogs in La Rochelle and there are a few dog friendly beaches around there. You will need to do your research though as they can be quite strict in France - when they say no dogs / dogs on leads there is a general expectation that the rules will be followed.

The cheapest way to do the animal health certificate is with a vet near the tunnel or ferry terminals. They are much cheaper than other vets as they are doing them all the time.

I am not sure about Newhaven, but if you are on Facebook, there is an Animal Health Certificate group you can join and find good vets through.

There is also an interactive map of vets in France for getting the return worming treatment done, I will try and find the link to it and post it.

We have always taken our own worming tablet, but it’s worth checking with the vet before going. We usually book before we leave UK.