Dog-friendly holiday
in the south of France

The south of France is one of the most rewarding destinations for a holiday with your dog — vast open landscapes, outdoor culture, and a genuine tolerance for dogs that you do not always find in more tourist-heavy areas. The Aveyron département in particular, centred around Millau, is perfect: limestone plateaux you can walk for hours without seeing another soul, gorges with riverside trails, and a region where dogs are considered normal companions rather than an inconvenience.

We run Hôtel des Causses in Millau with our own two dogs, Mimi and Pipa. So when we say dogs are welcome here, we mean it in the fullest sense — in your room, at dinner, on the terrace. Here is everything you need to plan a smooth dog-friendly trip to the south of France.

Travelling to France with your dog — the paperwork

This is the question most UK visitors ask first, and rightly so. Since Brexit, bringing a dog from the UK to France requires an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued by an official vet, valid for 10 days from the date of issue (for entry into the EU). This replaces the old EU pet passport for UK-issued documents. You will need it every trip.

• Microchip: your dog must be microchipped before the AHC is issued
• Rabies vaccination: must be current and recorded in your vet's records
• Tapeworm treatment: required for dogs returning to the UK, administered by a vet 1–5 days before re-entry — book this before you leave
• AHC timing: book your vet appointment no earlier than 10 days before departure

For EU and Schengen visitors, the EU pet passport remains valid as before. For Dutch, Belgian, German and Swiss guests the process is unchanged.

Why Aveyron works so well for dogs

The Aveyron is one of the least densely populated départements in France. That translates directly into dog-walking freedom: trails that are empty even in summer, no crowding, no restrictions that do not exist elsewhere. The Parc Naturel Régional des Grands Causses covers much of the area and maintains a network of marked trails where dogs are welcome on a lead.

The climate also helps. At 700 metres altitude on the causses, even August mornings are cool enough for a long walk before the day heats up. The gorge floors stay shaded until mid-morning.

Best dog walks around Millau

• Causse du Larzac — vast limestone plateau, dry-stone walls, almost no traffic. You can walk for three hours and see only sheep. Keep your dog on a lead near flocks.
• Tarn riverbank path — from the centre of Millau, follows the river for several kilometres. Flat, shaded in places, and dogs can swim in the river at several points.
• Gorges du Tarn — the valley-floor trail between La Malène and Les Détroits is spectacular. Narrow canyon walls, turquoise water, very manageable gradients.
• Causse Noir — wilder and more forested than the Larzac, with fewer visitors. Good for dogs who like varied terrain.
• Montpellier-le-Vieux — a natural rock city on the Causse Noir. Marked trails through extraordinary dolomite formations. Dogs on leads in summer.

What to bring for your dog

• More water than you think — the causses are dry, even on cool days
• A long lead for open plateau walking
• Tick prevention and a tick remover — causse vegetation from April to October
• Paw care — the limestone can be rough on sensitive paws after long walks
• Your dog's health documents and the AHC (UK visitors)

Staying at Hôtel des Causses with your dog

Dogs are welcome in all rooms, on the terrace, and in our restaurant La Chaleur Nordique. The supplement is a flat €9 per stay — not per night, which makes it genuinely reasonable for a week-long visit. Just let us know when booking so we can be ready.

Mimi and Pipa, our two resident dogs, will make their own introductions. They set the tone for how animals are treated here — as guests, not afterthoughts.