Travelling with a dog in France

Being a pet friendly nation makes things much easier when it comes to travelling in France with your dog. There are plenty of options available whether you want to make a journey on public transport with them or are thinking of heading off on holiday.

Taking your dog with you on the train

You can take your dog along with you on most trains including the high-speed TGV, regional TER trains and some Eurostar routes. You will just need to pay for a ticket for them which generally costs €7 (or €19 on a night train). 

Small dogs under 6kg can travel in a carrier. This should be a closed carrier or basket up to 45x30x25cm maximum. Larger dogs will need to wear a muzzle and stay on a lead for the whole journey.

For the Eurostar, pets are not allowed on trains to and from London, between Brussels and Lille or on Eurostar Sun and Snow routes. For other routes, small dogs can travel in a carrier as above for free. There is a single ticket fare of €30 for bigger dogs which again must stay on a lead and be muzzled for the journey.

Guide and assistance dogs travel free of charge on trains but for Eurostar, you must inform them 24 hours in advance of travelling.

Travelling on the metro, buses and trams

In Paris, dogs are welcomed and travel for free on the metro, bus and tram network, either in a carrier or muzzled and on a lead.

For other cities and areas, the rules do vary though in general small dogs can travel with you in a carrier whereas bigger dogs are not always allowed on board. In some cases your dog will need its own ticket. Emmenetonchien (Bringyourdog) has a useful overview of transport options in many cities for more information.

Guide and assistance dogs are always permitted on public transport and do not need to wear a muzzle or have their own ticket.

Travelling by car

French law states that animals must be able to travel comfortably in a car and not be able to move around freely in the passenger compartment. Crates or carry bags can be used which must then be securely fixed in the vehicle. Your dog can also travel in the boot with a dog guard or net installed so they cannot move forward into the passenger seats.

Another option is to use a dog seat belt which can be clipped into their harness and then fastened to a seat belt holder as normal.

Flying with your dog

Air France is one of several dog friendly airlines that will let you fly with your pet. Specific requirements do vary between companies but you can usually take a dog up to 8kg (including the carrier) with you in the cabin and larger dogs are permitted to travel in a crate in the hold.

Check with your airline for details of the size of travel carriers and crates they allow as well as ticket prices.

Staying overnight when travelling with a dog

Many different types of accommodation will often allow you to book in with your dog and Booking.com and Airbnb both give you the option to search for pet friendly rentals. 

The Emmenetonchien website is also useful for finding a range of accommodation from campsites to hotels that welcome dogs. You can read reviews left by other dog owners and you will find plenty of information on pet facilities available for each accommodation option.