The top 5 best motorhome spots to discover with your dog

The motorhome? If you're like my man, you tell yourself that it's slow, ugly, reserved for seniors and that it obstructs the roads… okok, in terms of clichés, I think we have what we need. The motorhome is simply a mode of travel. An art of living practiced by true enthusiasts. It's an expedition at each departure, the promise of beautiful encounters, the happiness of discovering unforgettable corners, the intoxication of freedom at the end of the pedal! The motorhome is anything but corny. It's also a way to travel easily with your dog and his whole family without worrying about his welcome. Going in a motorhome with your dog is Wouafement Bien!

Here is something to treat you to for your next vacation with your dog: discover the top 5 of the best motorhome spots to discover with your dog.

Before telling you about the best places to spend your holidays with your dog in a motorhome, the first step is to find a dog-friendly motorhome!

• either you are already equipped and you have your own vehicle; in this case go directly to the next paragraph… although I may have a good plan to share with you here just after 😉

• either you need to rent a motorhome for the holidays

For dog-friendly campervan rentals, I've got just the thing: Wikicampers. Wikicampers is first and foremost a community of campervan enthusiasts. And since these road warriors don't travel all year round, they offer their vehicles for rent. It's a peer-to-peer campervan rental site. And among these individuals, there are, of course, dog lovers who travel with their pets themselves. They'll be delighted to rent you their vehicle so you can share a wonderful holiday with your dog. We dog lovers understand each other!

And there is a choice: motorhome, camper van, van, combi... there is something for all types of holiday and for all budgets. Two or seven, you will enjoy.

Is your dog-friendly motorhome or your campervan reserved? So let's start discovering these 5 spots that are worth the detour for your next vacation or WE with your dog!

Let's head to the Vercors ; it's one of my favorite places in France. It's a wild, natural area. I recommend the Vercors if you want to get some fresh air, spend a few days surrounded by nature, in peace and quiet, and disconnect from everything.

Small precision before leaving to discover this place: the Vercors is a regional natural park, but there is in the park the natural reserve of the high plateaus of Vercors, which extends from Corrençon-en-Vercors in the North to Châtillon-en- Diois in the South. Dogs are allowed in the park, but strictly prohibited in the nature reserve.

Under its wild and inaccessible air, this massif of the pre-Alps offers an exceptional wealth of landscapes: plateaus, vast forests, cliffs and deep gorges.

It's a paradise for hikers and sports enthusiasts of all kinds! Many mushers have settled in the Vercors and practice canine snow sports : skijoring, snowshoeing with dogs, sledding with dogs, dog racing, and many more! You're bound to encounter a pack during your holiday with your dog in the Vercors. And you can even visit some kennels to learn more about these sports and these dogs.

How not to put the whole of Brittany in this top 5? The motorhome is the ideal way to visit Brittany from top to bottom. In a few days, over the kilometres, you will certainly be amazed. Schedule your Breton road-trip in the off-season to be able to enjoy the coast and have it almost all to yourself. If I love Brittany it's for its wild side, but in July-August, it loses its luster. 

Traveling in a motorhome means having the opportunity to dine each evening in front of a new sunset! For that alone I recommend the trip. And your dog will love running on a new beach every day. The GR34 or Customs Path goes around Brittany: why not test a new section of the path every day? And if you are more in love with heritage; there too you will be served. Saint Malo, Dinan, Dinard, Pont-Aven, Concarneau, Quimper, Rennes, Lanion, Perros-Guirec or even Erquy: breathtaking towns! A big downside for Saint Malo that I love so much: the ramparts are forbidden to dogs as well as all the beaches. Go find out what fly stung them there! 

Take the opportunity to share your most beautiful photos with #wikicampers and #emmenetonchien

Before continuing this top 5, I open a parenthesis advice. In the Wouafer's community, many travel by motorhome. So over the course of our discussions, I gleaned and listed some of their best advice. Going in a motorhome with your dog requires a bit of preparation. 

Even if doggie travels “like at home”, there are some safety rules to observe, such as during journeys. It is strongly recommended that you tether your dog or have your dog travel in a carrier. This will save it problems in the event of emergency braking or cornering and it will not become an ultra dangerous projectile for you in the event of an accident. 

During your stops, check the environment carefully: can doggie walk freely around the motorhome? If not, plan to tie it up to avoid trouble. If he stays quietly in the motorhome, even with the door open, everything will be fine, but if he jumps out of the motorhome at the slightest stimuli that arouses his curiosity, beware of the dangers... 

Above all, don't leave your dog in the motorhome in the middle of the hot season for a “little” run… As in our cars, the passenger compartment can quickly turn into an oven and turn out to be a deadly trap. 

And whatever the mode of vacation, plan his leash, his collar with a medal to allow him quick identification, his croquettes, his basket... Plan to dedicate a space to your dog in the camper van or motorhome. He must be able to isolate himself when he feels the need. For their comfort, dogs need to have their private space: a place where they can sleep peacefully or take refuge if necessary. If you need to cross borders. you will need his health record and passport up to date with all his vaccinations and in particular rabies. 

Corsica in a motorhome has to be earned. If you are not an excellent pilot, you will have to do your ranges on simpler destinations. The roads can be narrow, winding and damaged in places so driving the motorhome is sometimes “sporty”. At the wheel of your converted van, Corsica will gladly allow itself to be tamed. Once the crossing is complete, the magical landscapes of the Island of Beauty are yours. While accommodation is rather expensive in Corsica, sleeping in your vehicle turns out to be a great deal. In addition, your dog will be able to follow you everywhere easily. 

From the paradisiacal beaches of the coast to the chiseled mountains of Haute Corse, you can share a thousand and one activities with your dog. Cani-paddle, canoe, water hike or hike: there is something for all tastes and all levels. Many Wouafer's have already gone on vacation to Corsica with their dog, W'ouf course!, and they have always returned amazed and charmed. Dogs are always welcome here. 

The Alsace wine route has been designed for you! Follow the road and let temptation guide you. Be careful all the time: wine and motorhome do not mix well but once the tasting is over, there is no need to get back behind the wheel. You are already at home. It is squarely parked in the parking lot! The foot, right? And on the dog side? The vineyards are real labyrinths of paths. You will enjoy.

Take the opportunity to discover the most beautiful Alsatian villages such as Eguisheim, Kaysersberg, Riquewihr, and Ribeauvillé, to name just a few. Enjoy a walk with your dog.

And of course, don't leave Alsace without having shared some lovely hikes with your dog: the three castles trail in Ribeauvillé, the circuit of the unmissable Ballon d'Alsace, the Donon trail, the climb up Mont Saint Odile…

To conclude this top 5 list of the best motorhome sports to discover with your dog, I'm going to tell you about a spot very close to home, in the Hérault region. It's Lake Salagou . This lake is nestled amidst arid red rock hills. The brick red of the "ruffes" blends beautifully with the blue of the sky and the lake's waters.

We like the Salagou for: swimming, lazing around, cicadas, water sports such as paddle or canoeing and windsurfing or kitesurfing, hiking or mountain biking on windy days. You are going to enjoy the Lac du Salagou with your dog.

Be careful, the summer heat is quite overwhelming on site if there is no wind. The sun heats up severely and the ruffes store the heat and send it back through the ground... It's like being in a convection oven on some days... And who says hot ground says risk of burning the pads. Be very careful with pooch.

To see the lake from above and take in the view, I advise you to climb to the top of Mont Liausson to the south of the lake via the Cirque de Mourèze; an extraordinary rocky chaos to discover too.

An info for all owners of white or sand-colored dogs… Expect to see life in pink at Salagou! Ruffes quickly color white dogs pink! It's a pretty funny phenomenon. But rest assured after a few days, the dust falls and your dog will regain its original coat.

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Then then ? What do you think of this top 5? Did it give you some great ideas for your next motorhome vacation with your dog? By renting your motorhome or camper van from Wikicampers, you are renting directly from an individual: he too will necessarily have great getaways to advise you and will surely be full of good advice to share with you. Ask him the question, he will be delighted to tell you his travel anecdotes. Have a great vacation on the road!