Dogs permitted?
While our faithful four-legged companions are definitely fully-fledged members of the family, you may still find yourself wondering whether they are permitted in the places you wish to stay. For your next holiday in Touraine, here is some information that you should find useful!
Finding accommodation that accepts your dog
Generally speaking, most campsites will allow your pet (with the exception of 1st and 2nd category dogs, which are sometimes not permitted) under certain conditions, starting with an up-to-date vaccination record for example. The largest campsite in Touraine, the Parc de Fierbois, charges a slight surcharge, and logically enough, you will not be allowed to leave them unaccompanied in your rental.
Similar conditions are in place for tourist residences, such as Le Moulin des Cordeliers (Pierre et Vacances) in Loches or Le Relais du Plessis in Richelieu. The same applies for the hotels, whether in Tours (Château Belmont, Mercure Tours Centre…), Azay-le-Rideau (Troglododo, Le Grand Monarque…), Amboise (Clos d’Amboise, Chaptal…) or Chenonceaux (Auberge du bon Laboureur, Relais Chenonceaux…).
On the other hand, if you are used to renting a gite for your holidays, we recommend that you make use of the Gîtes de France en Touraine website: when using the search engine, a filter allows you to display only those rental offers that will allow your dog.
Visiting châteaux with your dog
At the Château de Gizeux
As the flagship of tourism in the Loire Valley, the châteaux attract large numbers of visitors every year. In most cases, dogs are permitted on leads in the outdoor areas, but not inside the monuments, except for small animals, which must be carried in your arms or in a bag while inside the premises. For larger dogs, you will have to take turns to visit the inside of the château, as your pet should not be left unattended. These regulations apply at the châteaux at Azay-le-Rideau, Villandry, Chenonceau, Amboise, Clos Lucé, Gaillard, l’Islette, Candé, Montrésor, Chinon, Gizeux, and Rivau.
However, in some monuments your pet will be allowed to accompany you throughout the entire tour. If this is what you are looking for, head for the Château d’Ussé, the Château de Langeais (except during falconry shows), the Château de Champchevrier, the Château de Nitray, the Montbazon Fortress, or the Château de Montpoupon:
However, bear in mind that you will not be able to access the Balzac museum and the Aquarium de Touraine with your dog.
Other activities, dogs allowed!
In addition to the châteaux, Touraine is embellished with several gardens. You are free to walk around these with your pet, without any problem. You can explore the gardens of Valmer, la Bourdaisière, Mireille, and Chédigny at your own pace, as well as the French-style square vegetable patches (Chinon) and the very beautiful public gardens, which can be accessed free of charge: the Parc de Richelieu, the Tours Botanical Gardens or even the René Boylesve garden (Descartes).
Other sites to explore during a holiday with your dog: the Troglodytic valley of Goupillières, the Beaumarchais reserve (but only if your pet is calm and doesn’t bark, which would scare the animals in the reserve), the Cave de la Dive Bouteille, the Cave de la Sibylle, and really the vast majority of the tourist caves of Touraine.
In addition to hikes and visits to cities and villages (especially guided tours), also keep in mind the option of treating yourself to a very pleasant river trip, with the La Bélandre company, for example (traditional boats, non-licensed electric boats…).
In the streets of Chinon, a town officially recognised for its art and history.
Finally, many restaurants will allow your dog, including Michelin-starred restaurants (the Château de Pray in Amboise, L’auberge Pom’Poire in Azay-le-Rideau, La Promenade in Le Petit-Pressigny…), however, seeing as this is not 100% guaranteed, it’s best to ask before booking.