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The Ardeche river is full of swimming dogs - don't worry - as are many other rivers that we've visited.  The beach by the Pont d'Arc is a regular haunt of a French black lab who wears a dinky bandanna - we've seen him there a few times.   You can let dogs run anywhere it doesn't prohibit them - not many of those either, certainly not the sort of places you'd be walking one (ie through fields of cattle or sheep) but on normal walks you're fine.  Dogs are also more tolerated in towns and cities, you'll nearly always find a doggie bowl outside bars and if you sit at a table with your dog, ten to one he'll be brought a drink as well as you.

You can also take dogs into many shops and restaurants.  The French seem to love (and tolerate) their dogs even more than us.

Dogs are prohibited, in high season, on many beaches, but you'll often see a sneaky Frenchman, pretending not to have read the notice!  Usually it's best to completely avoid beaches, though unless you're very thick-skinned!

Just one thing, though - they don't appear to poop-scoop as much as we do, but where they do you'll often find free bag dispensers on lamp posts!

Just to mention, though, that dogs are not allowed in the French National Parks, not even on a lead (see thread "Pyrenees c..k-up".)

In some Regional and National Parks (or Reserves) Naturelle, they're not allowed either, but that ultimately depends on the Mairie of the local commune.

I could not get a Pet Passport done in time for my chap, Digger the Australian Cattle Dog, for this year

It was a great shame as he was getting so excited about being able to decorate the French pavements