Adventures with Your Dog in France

A man with a beard holding a small brown Poodle dog in both arms, standing in a river with a rocky bottom. The man is wearing a white shirt, colorful shorts, and a blue life jacket. In the background, there is the ancient Roman aqueduct Pont du Gard, and the sky is clear and blue.

Kayaking- Pont Du Gard

We weren’t exactly sure what Milou would think of kayaking, but he actually LOVED being out on the water. This excursion is definitely family friendly and perfect for beginners. There are so many little pebbled beaches to pull off on along the way to have a picnic or a pause with a good book, making the experience a few hours to a whole day if you’d like. We used Canoe-Collias and they were great. We picked the shorter trip, but with all of our stops for lunch and to swim, it took us about 4 hours. Swimming and picnicking underneath such history as the Pont du Gard was incredible, especially with Milou!

A small brown poodle wearing a floral-patterned vest, standing on a stone-tiled floor in front of ancient stone ruins and a distant mountain range under a clear blue sky.

Castle Visits - Lacoste

When I read that a few castles in our region allow dogs on the tour, I jumped at the chance to bring Milou along. Château de Lacoste dates back to the 11th century, but its most famous resident, Marquis de Sade, lived there from 1769 to 1772. The Marquis was a famous author known mostly for his erotic works that inspired the term sadism. While nothing during the castle visit would tip you off to the château’s colorful past, it definitely added to the lure of the ruins.

A man with dark hair and a beard, wearing sunglasses, a light blue short-sleeved shirt, and white shorts, stands on a street vendor market holding a small brown poodle dog on a leash. The market has tables with various items and is shaded by large trees with green leaves.

Brocantes - Carpentras

One of our favorite ways to spend a Sunday in France is browsing the outdoor antique markets, known as brocantes. It’s the perfect leisurely activity and even better when your dog tags along. Not only are these markets usually full of other pups (great for socializing), but bringing Milou along always sparks more conversations with other antique hunters. It’s been a fun way for Andy to practice his French and for us to connect more deeply with the locals.