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Dog owners are nearly at the end of their tether, asking themselves that perennial questions, ‘where can I go on holiday with my dog?’ and ‘which beaches welcome dogs’? These aren’t always easy questions to answer, but in this case they are – Normandy is the ideal place!  

Normandy is renowned for its beautiful beaches. Hundreds of miles of coastline, from the vast tidal flats of the Bay of the Mont-Saint-Michel to the D-Day Landing Beaches, from the Flowered Coast – Deauville and Trouville-sur-Mer with their famous parasols and swathes of sand – to the pebble beaches and cliffs of the Alabaster Coast. There’s something for everyone!

Cimetière américain de Colleville-sur-Mer, plage d'Omaha Beach - D-Day
© G. Cassiau / les-escapades.fr

Dog-friendly Destinations


In Normandy, two destinations have committed themselves to ‘dog tourism’: Coutances and the Terroir de Caux

Dog tourism (known as toutourism in French) is the idea to make it easier for pet-owners to go on holiday through the development of a network of tourist destinations, shops, overnight stays or other public places which will roll out the hairy carpet for pets. These two destinations have listed all of the beaches, accommodation and services (e.g. dog clinics, dog hotels and dog parlours) available to your canine companions.

local regulations

Children on the beach in Cabourg
Cabourg beach

In Deauville in the Calvados département, dogs are forbidden on the beach between 10am and 7pm from 15 March to 15 November. For the rest of the year, you may go out at low tide only and stay at least 100m from the boardwalk which runs the length of the beach. In Cabourg, dogs are allowed at the eastern end of the beach, beyond the promenade, where the dunes begin.  

Around Anse du Brick and at the wonderful beach in Gouville-sur-Mer, both in the Manche département, dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.  

In the seaside town of Le Tréport in the Seine-Maritime département, dogs can be let off their lead outside the bathing zones, over by the rocks. In Dieppe, they are allowed beyond the supervised bathing area at either end of the beach.      

OUR ADVICE

Get in touch with the local municipality wherever you’re staying in Normandy to familiarise yourself with the local rules. Make sure you bring a pooper scooper bag wherever you go – and use it (for your dog, that is). Keep your dog on a lead unless you are sure it is OK not to. And remember the nicest times to take your dog to the beach are at low tide and after other beach goers have gone home, i.e. before 10am or after 7pm.

useful information

Coutances Tourist Office
tourisme-coutances.fr 

Terroir de Caux Tourist Office
quibervillesurmer-auffray-tourisme.com