Paris has gone to the dogs…in the absolute best way possible. I’m aware that there are a lot of cities where you can take your dog to the terrace of a restaurant, or into a bank or whatever. But Paris seems to treat dogs as part of the family. In many places here in Paris, you can take your dog into a formal restaurant, complete with white tablecloths and linen napkins and sit your pooch down on the floor at your side while you dine.

In fact, Leon & I have done exactly that on more than one occasion. I’ve seen waiters kneel down for a moment petting, playing with and loving on our babies. When we’ve been seated, sometimes we have actually been given a table for four…so that the dogs would have enough room to be comfortable. They almost always bring over a bowl filled with cold water for the pooches too. Yep…I love this town.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a city as dog-friendly as Paris. We wander the streets with the pups every day, discovering new areas to love. And when you’re walking along with your furbabies, people actually stop you every so often to tell you how cute they are, “Ooh…trop mignon!” They will ask if they can pet them, ask about their age or breed, or both. They’ll even ask you if your dogs like living in the city. It’s utterly charming.

And it’s not just Paris…The entire country of France is very dog-friendly. So far, our pups have been welcomed in hotels, restaurants, shops and galleries all over France: Bordeaux, Champagne, Cognac, Armagnac, Saint Emillion, Pomerol, Dijon, Barbizon, Fronsac, Annecy, Strasbourg, Lacaves, and Bergerac, In fact, it’s pretty difficult to find places that don’t allow dogs. They are welcome almost anywhere. It’s fantastic if you’re a dog-lover. In France, people just get it.

“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.” – Roger Caras