Dog friendly beaches in France

dog friendly beaches in France

Bringing your dog with you on your family holiday to France is a no brainer for most families; he or she is a vital part of the family and must be included!

However, we’ll be honest here, if you are planning a beach holiday to France there’s a bit of research to do as dog friendly beaches are somewhat rare. Most beaches in France are closed to dogs during the main summer months, although if you like your early morning sunrise walks you’ll probably be ok.

Some regions are excellent for dog friendly beach holidays, such as Alpes Maritimes, Var, Pyrénées-Orientales, Normandy and parts of Brittany but in other regions you will struggle such as Pyrenees-Atlantiques region (no dog friendly beach), the Bouches du Rhône region (only one beach) or the Hérault region where there is a sandy coast with only two dog friendly beaches.

In seaside resorts where dogs are not allowed, it is possible to go on a private beach; some of them are dog friendly (even if it is prohibited on the public beach).

Dog friendly beaches in Northern France

Here are some towns and areas with dog-friendly beaches you may want to visit in north France.  Please always check signage on your arrival at the beach to check that dogs are not ‘interdit’ (forbidden).

Wissant, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France

Wissant is a small town just 25 minutes’ drive away from Calais with three beaches. The one worth sniffing out is Plage Dune d’Aval, as the local government permits dogs all year round.

Le Touquet, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France

Just an hour’s drive away from Calais is a town known as ‘Paris-on-Sea’, Le Touquet. This pretty seaside town has two beaches, Plage Nord and Plage des Dunes which allow dogs all year round.

Beaches of the ‘Opal Coast’ – towards the Belgian Border

The beaches of the ‘Opal Coast’ stretch for around 10 miles along the coast just north of Dunkirk up to – and past – the Belgian border.

Dune Marchand – Pas de Calais

The beach of the Dune Marchand is shared between the town of Bray-Dunes and Zuydcoote.

West Beach  – Pas de Calais

The West beach of Bray-Dunes stretches along the Digue de la Mer from the Marchand dunes to the centre of the seaside resort. Bordered by numerous residences and a pleasant pedestrian promenade, the end of this beach is reserved for beach sports (sand yachting, windsurfing, etc.), so avoid putting your towel down for a swimming break, as you may be in the way! If you go towards the town centre, you will find a supervised area, the rest of the beach is not supervised.

Please note that dogs are allowed on a lead on this beach outside the supervised area. There is also a boat ramp for water sports activities.

Perroquet Beach  – Pas de Calais

The last French beach and the most northerly beach, the Perroquet beach of Bray Dunes offers a totally wild environment towards Belgium. Bordered by a protected natural site (with developed paths, ideal for walking), this vast sandy beach is bordered by imposing dunes.

However, be careful as swimming is not supervised. Note that dogs on a leash are tolerated on the seafront.

Dog friendly beaches in Normandy

Le Tilleul, Normandy

A 2-hour-and-45-minute drive from Calais, Le Tilleul is home to a large stretch of coast. Plage d’Antifer is the dog friendly beach here but dogs must be kept on a lead here.

Vierville-sur-mer, Calvados, Normandy

Vierville-sur-mer is a village located just 20 miles from Bayeux and is where you’ll find the dog-friendly Omaha Beach, a stunning 2.5km stretch of white sand supervised during the summer months. Walk to the east of the beach to find monuments commemorating the Allied landing on June 6th 1944. Dogs are allowed on a lead here, all year round.

Dog friendly beaches in Brittany

Santec, Brittany

For a dog friendly beach in Brittany head to the Santec region where beaches are dog-friendly as long as they are kept on a lead.  It’s generally best to pick quieter stretches of coast, and Plouharnel, in the south of Brittany is a safe bet.

For a comprehensive list of dog friendly beaches in France, we have found this website useful: https://en.plages.tv/dogs/l-france

Find out more about our dog-friendly holidays in France:

> Dog friendly accommodation in France

> Travelling in France with dogs

> Dog friendly beaches in France