Lyon with his dog: guided tour by Loxen and Margot
What activities to do in Lyon with your dog? Is Lyon a dog-friendly city? Which parks are allowed for dogs? In this article, discover all the anecdotes of Margaux and her dog Loxen in Lyon!
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Remember Margot, our canicross enthusiast with her dog ? She and her magnificent beagle, Loxen, introduced us to their favorite sport in their "Woofily Great" profile! Today, our two Lyon natives share their best tips and tell us all about their favorite things to do together in their beautiful city of Lyon. Thanks to them, you'll know exactly what to do in Lyon with a dog.
As a reminder, the friendship between Margot and Loxen didn't happen overnight… Adopting a dog , I can't stress this enough, isn't as simple as it seems. Loxen was a "difficult" little dog. The bond of trust between them was built over time, with patience and the help of a trainer. Loxen was a little dog full of phobias; she needed to regain her confidence and peace of mind. Margot adopted Loxen when she was 8 months old from a breeder; a little dog who had been mistreated and neglected. She already knew she would choose a beagle because they are athletic and small dogs. She chose a small dog for practical reasons: transportation, apartment living… Since she often takes public transportation in Lyon with a dog, it was easier for Margot to get a beagle.
Lyon with a dog
Le Musher and Sophie’s Good Deal: “Have you thought about exploring Lyon with your dog alongside a tour guide? It's often a wonderful way to discover the city, its hidden gems, and its must-see sights! There are many tour guides in Lyon offering a proper guided tour. However, those that accept dogs are few and far between… I met Tess, who offers…” guided tours and activities to discover Lyon's heritage, all in the presence of your dog! Tess is Sunny's mom and looooves dogs! She happily welcomes them into all her activities and visits to Lyon.
👉 Dog-friendly tours offered by Tess:
– the secrets of the Peninsula,
– street art in Croix Rousse,
– the essentials of Lyon in 3 hours,
– the most beautiful squares in Lyon…
To book your dog-friendly guided tour of Lyon or another activity offered by Tess, visit her website Lilo Mediation, or contact Tess by email: lilomediation@gmail.com. I promise you'll be delighted with your visit and meeting this adorable little person ❤️
With Loxen, we walk on the Saône quays until theBarbe Island or on the left bank of the Rhône where there are lawns, bars, and sports facilities to enjoy the place. These are two very pleasant spaces. Continuing north of Lyon along the Rhône, you will arrive at the Park head gold in the 6th arrondissement. In this park, there is a zoo area, where your dog is also welcome. In all parks in Lyon and the surrounding area, dogs must be kept on a leash, you should know that 
Except in areas dedicated to them.
Dogs are also allowed in many parks and squares, including the main ones:
- le Blandan Park in the 7th
- le Clos Layat Park in the 8th
- the park Georges Bazin in the 3th
- le Jardin des Plantes in the 1st
- le Guard Park in the 5th, with a nice walk to do on theThe Half Moon pedestrian route
- le Hautefeuilles Park in the 9th
Right next to Lyon, you also have:
- le Feyssine Park in Villeurbanne
- le Great Park of Miribel Jonage in Vaulx-en-Milieu
- le Parilly Park in Bron
- le Lacroix-Laval Estate in Marcy-l'Etoile
Musher and Sophie: “I lived in Lyon for a few months before I had Musher. I loved walking along the Rhône and in the Parc de la Tête d'Or. These are definitely two places I would choose to enjoy Lyon with my dog . By the way, nearby, I can recommend a super dog-friendly guesthouse: La Villa du Rhône ! Charles, the owner, is absolutely lovely and makes it a point of honor to welcome dogs with respect, love, and kindness; he even provides them with a dog welcome kit and lots of other amenities that I'll let you discover … I lived on the Croix-Rousse hill in the 4th arrondissement: it's one of the great areas to see in Lyon. You can take some of Lyon's famous traboules (covered passageways) to discover hidden corners. Take the climb up the Grande Côte to stroll around the Croix-Rousse plateau. It's a place I loved exploring.” Then, another Lyon classic: Fourvière Hill. Bonus: no need to walk up, take the funicular with your dog. From up there, you'll have a panoramic view of all of Lyon: an incredible vista! At the foot of Fourvière, take the time to wander through the little streets of the Saint Jean district in Old Lyon, around Rue Saint Jean: this is where you'll find all the traditional Lyonnais bouchons (bouchons) where you can taste the best local specialties! (Beware of tourist traps!)
QUALIDOG-certified accommodation in Lyon and the surrounding area
Are you looking for QUALIDOG-certified accommodation for your vacation in Lyon or the surrounding area with your dog? Here's my selection for you and your dog:
Furnished the Cocoon
Toutoubar available
The Hermitage Hotel****
-10% on your stay 🐶
Kyriad Lyon Sud Sainte Foy Hotel
Large green space and dog-friendly restaurant!
The Little House of the Riders
Swimming pool allowed for dogs 💦
Lyon: a dog-friendly city?
The first important point I want to mention is that the Lyon tram allows dogs . It's only been possible to travel with our dogs on public transport for a few months now. It's made my life so much easier! If it's a dog you can carry or keep in a bag, it doesn't need to wear a muzzle. For dogs over 6 kg, a muzzle is mandatory on public transport, and you'll need to buy a Waf ticket for them.
Furthermore, I think Lyon is making great strides in accepting dogs. Our furry friends have several dog parks in Lyon with areas where they can run free. Off-leash walking is tolerated, for example, at Parc Feyssine, or a little further away at Parc de Miribel-Jonage. With over 50 km of marked trails, it's a fantastic place to spend quality time with your dog. Unfortunately, dogs aren't allowed on the supervised beaches of the lake, but away from them, you can find some swimming areas where you can swim together. That's a great idea for hot summer days.
I haven't been refused entry to a restaurant with my dog in Lyon yet. I think there are still things to work on, but overall I would say it's a dog-friendly city.
I think there are a lot of dogs in the parks . However, I think that Lyon residents who own dogs are still hesitant to use public transport. There has been very little communication about this new law allowing dogs on Lyon's public transport . (They haven't even changed the "no dogs allowed" signs). But I always keep a photo of the law in question on my phone, and I have shown it to a ticket inspector once to get him to leave me alone. But that's only happened once…
Musher's seasonal advice
Margaux's story
The best memory is, of course, the day we found her after she ran away, but there's also the day she played with another dog for the first time. It took her a few months to do that, and without the dog parks in Lyon that were available, it would never have happened.
The worst memory is the day she disappeared, but there is also the one when a ticket inspector forced me to carry her in the corridors leading to the metro "because I had passed the gates" and I had to carry her as she did not have a muzzle. Just before forcing me to carry her, he accused me of being with a dog without having the right and he felt stupid when I showed him the poster of the SAVARY law!
I think you can say a lot of bad things on social media these days but without them I would never have had so much support when I lost my dog. And alone I would not have been able to find her.
Don't have any preconceived ideas about dogs living in apartments, there are plenty of opportunities to get them to exercise (for example, I practice canicross in Lyon's parks with her). There's a great community of dog owners who are always there to help each other!
Musher and Sophie : “By the way, I recommend joining one of the Lyon walking groups to prepare for your stay in this lovely city. It could be an opportunity to plan a walk with your two-legged and four-legged friends and discover new tips for your holidays in Lyon!”
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Thank you Margot for all your advice! I hope it has inspired you to take a little trip to Lyon with your dog.
Loxen and Margot share lots more tips about their favorite sport: Canicross. Go follow them on their Instagram account: @margot_dvg
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