Paris with a Dog – It’s Always a Good Idea

In the film Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn states that “Paris is always a good idea.” It was with this quote in mind that I began planning my first trip to Europe with my French Bulldog, Tara. I had always heard how wonderful it was to visit Paris with a dog. I dreamed of taking her to inside restaurants and strolling along the Seine together.

Tara was about to turn 13, and I wanted her to experience Paris while she could. She always seemed to genuinely enjoy traveling. Tara lapped up the attention she got when staying at pet friendly hotels in the US.  We had even spent some time exploring Quebec, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. But would visiting Paris with a dog her age REALLY be a good idea?

Thankfully, Tara was still in excellent health, but she was naturally slowing down with age.  I wanted to make the trip as comfortable as possible for her, so I booked us on a non-stop flight to in Air France Business Class.  Tara was exempt from airline weight limits and cabin restrictions because she was an Emotional Support Animal. 

We would be arriving in Paris on Tara’s 13th birthday, so I reserved a special hotel for her first night. Le Meurice Hotel has a history of providing luxury accommodations to people and their pets.  Their logo even features “Pistache,” a stray Greyhound that took up residence during the hotel’s turn of the century renovations. It is the ultimate place to stay in Paris with a dog.

I arranged to have a dog stroller shipped from Amazon.fr to Le Meurice. After unpacking it, we were off to start exploring. Tara began by stretching her legs in the Jardin des Tuileries. Leashed pets are welcome on the path closest to Rue de Rivoli but can not enter the interior gardens.

After strolling through the Jardin des Tuileries, I pushed Tara’s stroller along rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. The famous shopping street is home to luxury boutiques including Goyard’s “Chic du Chien” boutique. Tara tried on some of the outrageous collars they’ve been designing since 1890.

Back at the hotel, Tara found a special room service tray placed in our room. It featured a homemade doggie quiche with a candle, a birthday card and a golden Le Meurice tag engraved with her name.  Watching Tara dig into her birthday quiche was all I needed to convince me that, yes, Paris with a dog, IS always a good idea.