What to do in the Somme with your dog?
Discover holidays in the Somme with your dog by bike. Learn more about hikes, visits and sports to share with your dog.
Table of contents
Hang on to the Wouafer's! I'm going to make you dizzy in this article dedicated to activities to do in the Somme with your dog. I loved preparing this series of 3 articles for you on the Somme destination with a dog and this last article devoted to what to do in the Somme with your dog brings this trilogy to a wonderful close.
Between nature visits, discovering castles and memorial sites, hiking, cycling excursions with a dog, canoeing... I hope you have 3 months of vacation ahead of you because the Somme will surprise and seduce you and you will not don't want to go home :p
In this article, we will sometimes go to the coast in the Baie de Somme for example, sometimes inland along the Somme Valley and we will of course pass through Amiens to take advantage of the assets of the Picardy capital with your dog and its famous hortillonnages.
You will have understood that there is something for everyone in this destination: sports to do with your dog, visits to do with your dog, hikes to do with your dog… I even found you a few groups of Facebook walks at join and share canine events to have a good time with other dog lovers.
Go Somme with your dog!
The Somme by bike with his dog
There are 3 major cycling routes in the Somme: the 160 km long Vallée de Somme cycle route between Ham and the Baie de Somme, the Memory cycle route which links Amiens to Arras and the Vélomaritime which runs along the Baie de Somme and which connects northern Brittany to the Belgian border. As for the bike tours available in the Baie de Somme, I recommend the article The Bay of Somme with a dog. You will find a lot of information to prepare your stay in the Bay of Somme with your dog.
Today, I'm going to introduce you to the Somme Valley cycle route: the perfect route to discover the Somme from one end to the other! On the way, you will discover Ham, Péronne, Froissy, Méricourt-sur-Somme, Corbie, Amiens, Abbeville and you will arrive at the very end where the Baie de Somme awaits you! If you are a history buff, the Historial de la Grande Guerre in Péronne is a must-see place, but beware, your dog is not allowed. The towpath along the Somme river will please you especially if you transport your dog in a special dog trailer. Who says towpath says flat path. Your thighs and calves will appreciate it!
Please note that if you do not have your own bicycle or a trailer for your dog, The Cappy Nautical Base offers bike rentals with dog-friendly trailers. If you don't have your own equipment to cycle with your dog, this is ideal. The Pays du Coquelicot tourist office in Albert will welcome your pooch with a little surprise! Your dog will be able to cool off thanks to the toutoubar and you will be given a welcome kit with a treat and above all a guide to dog-friendly service providers in the area. As for bike rental companies, I also recommend that you look at our selection of dog-friendly activities to do in the Somme : you will find other rental companies that offer bicycle trailers for dogs.
Before setting off on a bicycle with your dog, let him be free by your side, let him run in front of you in traction, let him “follow” with you carried in a dog backpack on your back, let him travel in a basket at the front or in a dog bike trailer, I advise you to read or reread the article Cycling with your dog. You will find valuable advice to prepare for your walk or your bike tour with your dog.
Before going further in this article, I will stop for a few seconds to give you some valuable information about QUALIDOG accommodation in the Somme. If you are looking for accommodation where you will be well received with your dog, I suggest you discover my selection in the article Discover the Somme with my dog or look directly on our map of dog-friendly accommodation in the Somme.
The most beautiful hikes to do with your dog in the Somme
Walking or hiking: this is the star holiday activity of all happy dog owners. Is not it ? So I have selected here some great ideas for walks or hikes to do with your dog in the Somme. This is a non-exhaustive list of course because there are many more natural places to discover with your dog in the Somme. I just couldn't tell you about everything so I made a small selection from the walks and hikes tested, approved and shared by the Wouafer's.
I love going on nature outings with a guide. But often these outings are not dog-friendly either because they take place in protected and fragile natural areas so dogs are not welcome there or because the animals we want to see would spot us too quickly with doggie who may not be as discreet as necessary...
But Vincent, a Baie de Somme exploration nature guide, offers dog-friendly outings! Of course, you will have to call him to validate with him the presence of your dog but he welcomes them with pleasure on several of these outings in the Baie de Somme and elsewhere. For example, he offers you a mystery hike to discover the Bois de Cise in the heart of the cliffs of Ault, an outing of about 4 hours for a 2 km ride. A treasure hunt that will please your children and your dog! You can also discover the medieval city of Saint Valery-sur-Somme on this same format of mystery hike with Vincent as well as the Marquenterre, the Dunes du Royon to explore the dune area of Quend-Plage. Vincent also takes you to discover the Haute Somme by guiding you in Cappy with its fortified church and its port and its surroundings to meet the Little train of the Haute Somme, an activity to share with all your family and your dog from elsewhere, up to the Canal de la Somme and its ponds! Vincent also offers you 2 treasure hunts to share with your dog and your children: one in the Parc de Bouvaque in Abbeville and the other at Lac de Belle Dune in Fort-Mahon-Plage. All you have to do is choose and book.
I told you about the Somme Valley cycle route a little earlier. Throughout these 160 km, you can find no less than 30 viewpoints. I invite you to discover that of Vaux in Eclusier-Vaux. The belvedere dominates the upper valley of the Somme and offers a superb panorama of tracery, ponds and marshes. It is also the starting point for a very pretty hike.
Want a breath of fresh air? Get lost in the Crécy forest with your dog. It is a national forest. To walk around, you have 8 possible loops ranging from 3.3km to 5.8km, i.e. from 1 to 2 hours of walking. And for the bravest, a 15km loop awaits you!
In the Baie de Somme, the flagship hike is undoubtedly that of the Pointe du Hourdel to go and see its seals. An incredible nature walk that will allow you to discover the Bay, almost with your feet in the water. Watch out for the rising tide! Be careful, however, not to let your dog run or let him bark near the seals. Be vigilant and observe them from afar without creating a disturbance and getting into the water.
On the coast, you can explore the Hâble d'Ault. This marsh area offers another alternative to discover nearly 300 migratory birds that have chosen this former lagoon as a refuge. This space is accessible with your dog on a leash, W'ouf race!
If you are a fan of birds, you can also discover the Grand-Laviers bird sanctuary. Pretty marked trails also await you for a walk with all your family and your dog.
Near Amiens, I recommend the green corridor of Amiens; it is a marked route of 16,5 km between Bacouel-Sur-Selle and Monsures. This hike to do with your dog follows the Selle valley. This trail is accessible by stroller and bicycle. Practice !
To find other hiking ideas to do with your dog, I invite you to look at our selection of activities to do with your dog in the Somme here.
Find QUALIDOG-certified accommodation in the Somme
Here is a selection of QUALIDOG-certified accommodation in the Somme for a Trop W'ouf holiday with your dog!
What to visit in the Somme with my dog?
Do you like history and do you want to cultivate yourself a little during your holidays in the Somme with your dog? How about visiting a castle with your dog? I suggest you to visit the fortified castle of Rambure with his dog and his garden unbelievable. All dogs are welcome in the garden to discover the magnificent garden rose garden. As for the castle, only small worn dogs will be able to walk through the different rooms of the castle. This visit will take you on a 600-year journey through time!
In the previous paragraph, I told you about the Little train of the Haute Somme : the P'tit train de la Haute Somme line, 7 km long, was part of a network built by the French and British armies for the Battle of the Somme (July to November 1916). Your dog is welcome on board. Along the way you will discover: Cappy and its port, the hills dominating Péronne, remains of a sugar factory, the Somme canal, you will pass a metal bridge and a curved tunnel of more than 200m. A lovely country getaway for the whole family!
In the Baie de Somme, another little train awaits you to discover these magical landscapes: the Somme Bay train is also dog-friendly. Your pet can climb on board with you and discover the whole bay from the wagons and you can even decide to reach your starting point by sea with the Somme Boats which also accept your pet on board. Note that the boats of the Somme also offer you other outings at sea where your dog will also be welcome. Thus, you can, for example, go to meet the seals together.
And on the side of Amiens? The hortillonnages eco-museum is accessible with your dog. Located at the gates of Amiens, Rivery, you can learn more about this landscape shaped by man and the life of the hortillons. Your dog can climb into the motorized boat with you to follow the site visit. If you want to visit the canoe excursions with your dog, it is also possible to rent one at the Rivery yacht club. You can also discover the hortillonnages in Amiens even in a boat with your dog. If you cannot visit the Jules Verne museum or the cathedral of Amiens with your dog, you can still stroll through the Saint Leu district and discover this pretty district of Amiens with your dog. There are also a few dog-friendly parks and gardens in Amiens. You can find them in our special selection Amiens with his dog.
If memorial sites are not accessible with your dog, such as the Somme 1916 Museum in Albert, the British Memorial and the site museum in Thiepval, the Mine Hole of La Boisselle “Lochnagar Crater”, the Historial of the Great War in Péronne, know that the city of Naours welcomes dogs kept on a leash in the park and small dogs in a transport bag or bag backpack for dogs during the underground visit. The chalk quarries served as shelters for the inhabitants and their belongings until they became real underground refuges, the “muches” (hiding places) in Picard. The visit includes crossing the underground and access to the new interpretation center “Les Soldats Voyageurs”.
I can't list you here all the places to visit where your animals are welcome, but I hope that this first selection will have made your mouth water! You can find all the activities to do with a dog in the Somme in the page dedicated to the destination on the site. On the other hand, I draw your attention to an emblematic place to visit in the Somme and not dog-friendly: the abbey and the Gardens of Valloire. Your dog won't be able to put a paw in it!
Sport to share with your dog in the Somme
Let's finish this discovery of activities to do with your dog in the Somme with a section dedicated to the more athletic among you!
Are you a water sports fan? Canoeing with your dog or paddleboarding with your dog is possible in the Somme. For example, you can rent a canoe at the Cappy nautical base to visit its port and its surroundings. You can also rent a canoe in Loeuilly to go down the Selle with your dog. The canoe rental company, Loeuilly Canoe Kayak, also offers longer descents, half a day or a day on the Avre between Moreuil, Boves and Cagny. The route is 14km. You can also try canoeing or paddleboarding in the Bay of Somme. Be careful, canoeing or paddleboarding at sea requires more experience... The tidal phenomenon, if not well known, can be dangerous. Either way, I recommend equipping your dog a dog life jacket. This is essential for his safety!
Canicross can be practiced anywhere: on the beach, in the woods, on the towpaths... I am convinced that you will find a perfect playground for canicross with your dog in the Somme. But why not take advantage of a canicross competition to participate and thus discover new corners of the Somme? For example, I recommend the Canicross des Amazones in Albert, usually organized in March. Several courses are offered: CaniVTT/Scooter over 5 km, long canicross over the same distance, short and junior canicross over 3,5 km, 2,5 km for minimal canicross, 1,5 km for young canicross. A canimarche over 5 km is planned in groups and a canibaby grouped over 100 meters.
You can also participate in Le cani'davenes'cross organized in May in Davenscourt. Here again, several courses and disciplines await you.
Here are two ways to discover the Somme by doing a bit of sport with your dog and by joining canicross enthusiasts.
Do we continue in sports activities to do with your dog in the Somme? Direction the Belle Dune golf course ! You are not dreaming, I did talk about golf! It is one of the few golf courses accessible with your dog. No question for doggie to run behind the baballe but he can, on a leash, accompany you on the ground from hole to hole. Golf friends, here is an almost unique good plan!
I stop there for this article which is already very well supplied! I hope I have made you want to discover the Somme with your dog. You will find the list of all places to visit with your dog in the Somme on our special destination page as well as all the QUALIDOG accommodation that awaits you for your next family vacation with your dog in the Somme. And if you want more information on the Baie de Somme, I invite you to read the article The Bay of Somme with my dog. I can't wait to discover your vacation photos with #emmenetonchien my dear Wouafer's