Dogs in Paris – is Paris Dog-Friendly?

When I think of dogs in Paris, I think of chic women walking their little poodles; and legends of endless dog poo on the streets. Or at least, that’s the stereotype that has become ingrained. But when I think about the hundreds of visits I have made to Paris, I couldn’t really reconcile these stereotypes. I had not been paying attention to the dogs of Paris; so when I decided to take my dog, Moose, (a Labrador mix) to Paris for the first time, I had very little frame of reference for what the etiquette was. I needed to know the answer to this all-important question: ‘is Paris dog-friendly?’, and you’ll be pleased to know that, yes, it is! So, here is my guide for dogs in Paris – a complete guide to dog-friendly accommodation, restaurants, parks and transport!

Where to stay in Paris with your dog

Thankfully, if you search on any hotel search engine and filter by ‘pets allowed’, Paris will throw up a lot of possibilities. Unlike Italy where ‘small dogs only’ is specified, Paris hotels seem very tolerant of pets, and they usually only charge a minimal fee for the extra cleaning required. We are big fans of the Ibis branded hotels by Accor, as they are simple, reliable and we are a fan of the laminate floors and non-plush furnishings (all things you think of when you have a dog that sheds hair everywhere).

If you are driving into Paris, then I highly recommend the Ibis Budget Paris La Villette 19ème – it has a very secure underground carpark that only costs €10 per night. We stayed there recently, and for a budget hotel it delivers on dog-friendliness, cleanliness, space, facilities and location. There are 3 good metro stops nearby: Lumière, Jaurès, and Riquet. And you are right next to the Bassin de la Villette – an area of canal where you can hire boats, swim, and keep entertained.

Dogs on the public transport in Paris

Did you know that dogs are allowed to travel on the Metro, bus and RER trains in Paris? They require their own ticket (reduced child fare), and they must either be small enough to fit into a carrier, or if they are too large for a carrier, be leashed and wear a muzzle. If you are in Paris for more than a few days with your dog, I would recommend buying a carnet of children’s tickets (a book of 10). If bought singly, children tickets cost the full adult price, so if you think you will be taking 10 rides on the Metro, then a carnet is definitely a good option.

We sometimes just buy 1 carnet of adult tickets if the trip is a short one, and share them amongst the 2 humans and 1 dog. Dogs are allowed on SNCF intercity trains for a supplement of €7, and must stay at your feet or under the seat during passage.

Dogs on the Paris Metro

I bought Moose a snazzy purple fabric muzzle for our trip to Paris. It wasn’t a full face muzzle, as that didn’t seem to be a requirement. In fact, I saw many dogs with just a simple strap round their noses; and many with no muzzle at all. In any case, it pays to have one to ensure you don’t get into trouble with the inspectors. Try to avoid peak times on the Metro, as it gets very busy and the trains get packed. There were a couple of occasions where we waited for less busy trains, as we didn’t want to try to squash into a carriage with the dog.

TIP: There are a lot of escalators in the Paris Metro system, so please either be willing to walk the stairs out of the Metro with your dog, find an elevator, or carry your dog on and off the escalators. Safety for your dog is paramount!

Dog-friendly parks in Paris

There are a lot of green spaces in Paris, but not many of them are dog-friendly. Whilst many Parisians flaunt this rule, here are some park options that don’t break the rules:

• Jardin du Luxembourg (6th arrondissement) – The manicured gardens of the Jardin du Luxembourg might seem unwelcoming to dogs, but never fear, the east side of the gardens towards the Boulevard Saint-Michel entrance is dog-friendly. Sharing the periphery trail with the joggers, there is even a dog-fountain along this route.
• Parc des Buttes-Chaumont (19th arrondissement) – This is one of my favourite parks in Paris. The whole park is dog-friendly, and the view from the top of the hill in the park is spectacular. Whilst dogs are required to stay on a lead (long line is fine), there are some grassy areas away from the jogging paths where you can explore with your furry friend.
• Bois de Boulogne (edge of 16th arrondissement) – Bois de Boulogne is huge park with lovely forested areas and a lake. You could spend a whole day here and stay entertained.
• Bois de Vincennes (edge of 12th arrondissement) – Bois de Vincennes offers specific dog areas and lots of space to enjoy the vast green space. Although both Vincennes and Boulogne are technically outside the city limits, they are both easily accessed.

TIP: Some of the most famous parks – the Tuileries, and the gardens beneath Sacre Coeur etc, don’t allow dogs. Look out for the signs on the gates to these popular areas to be sure. We mistakenly walked Moose up the park at Sacre Coeur (we didn’t see the sign), and were told politely by a guard at the top that dogs weren’t allowed. We were allowed to carry on to the exit, which was a relief, as I didn’t fancy walking back down again!

Dogs in Paris restaurants

I have taken the dog to many restaurants in France previously; so I wasn’t too concerned at finding places to dine avec le pooch. Dining with your dog is easier in summer, as you can always sit outside if you don’t want to take your dog into a busy restaurant. It is always polite to check with the establishment if you wish to sit inside. Just ask ‘Puis-je amener / avoid mon chien à l’intérieur?’ (Can I bring / have my dog inside?).

We didn’t have any issue taking the dog into any restaurants we tried on our weekend in Paris. In fact, every place we took our dog to, the waiters/ waitresses doted on the dog and gave him water. I was delighted that my favourite bistro in Paris welcomed the dog in, making it even more of a favourite! Read more about my Paris cafe recommendations.

TIP: Not all people like dogs, so be sensitive to anyone who shows a dislike or fear of your dog in enclosed spaces.

Cleaning up after your dog

As is always considerate, cleaning up your dog’s poop is important. Luckily, Paris is blessed with an abundance of rubbish bins to assist you with this! Paris is no longer a minefield of poop, so let’s all do our part to keep it that way.

Attire for dogs in Paris

The Parisians are a fashionable lot, and they love a dog with a bit of style! Moose chose two of his favourite kerchiefs for his trip to Paris, and he had many compliments. Two french ladies even called him ‘super cool’, which went straight to his head, obviously!

Etiquette for dogs in Paris

Here are some helpful tips for where you can and can’t take your dog in Paris:

• Museums – Dogs are not allowed in any museums in Paris. For obvious reasons, this isn’t an activity you can enjoy with your furry friend.
• Restaurants – Unless advised, most restaurants are ok with well-behaved dogs accompanying their owners for dinner.
• Supermarkets – Unlike restaurants, food stores do not allow dogs inside. I wouldn’t fancy trying to control my dog inside a shop filled with food to be honest!
• Shops / Pharmacies – Almost all non-food shops are ok with dogs. We went into a HEMA store, boutiques and a pharmacy with no issues whatsoever. This was super useful to allow us to buy souvenirs of our time in Paris. We never leave our dog tied up outside shops (for his own safety), so it was great to be able to shop with Moose tagging along.
• Shopping Malls – unfortunately shopping malls don’t allow dogs at all, presumably due to the mix of shops and volume of people.

Dogs in Paris

It was with much relief that our weekend in Paris with our dog went down without a hitch. I was delighted with how easy everything was. From being welcomed at the hotel, to catching the metro and to dining in our favourite restaurants. If you take notice of the rules, and always seek permission, visiting Paris with your dog can be a breeze. There is no need to miss out on the joys of Paris if you have a dog; and every reason why your visit to this beautiful city can be enhanced by bringing your furry companion along.

Moose often travels with us, especially on road trips – here are my Tips for road-tripping with a dog

All photos & content © Hannah Henderson and may not be used without permission (sharing this blog post is fine, though!). Images shot with an iPhoneX.