Road trip from Brittany to Italy with a dog and a baby
Today, I present to you a Trop W'ouf couple who managed the feat of going on a road trip of more than 3000 km with a dog and a baby! Leaving Brittany to explore the Dolomites in Italy, the road does not scare them and they share with us their exceptional journey through France, Switzerland, Austria and then Italy with their baby and their dog Stilton.
Impressive, isn't it? To be perfectly honest, I don't know if I would have had Cynthia and Romain's courage six months after my daughter was born! Driving across France, Switzerland, and Austria to get from Brittany to Italy, all with a dog and a baby —you have to be pretty motivated! But our Wouafer's did it! 🤩 And the best part is that Romain is sharing their entire road trip with us, from Brittany to Italy! He also gives us tons of tips for traveling with a dog and a baby , as well as his favorite spots.
Of course, recounting such a long road trip can't fit into a single article! So this article focuses on the journey from Brittany to Italy and the preparation for a road trip with a baby and a dog . In future articles, Romain will tell us about his discoveries in the Dolomites with Cynthia, their dog Stilton, and their baby. Okay, I'll hand it over to Romain!
Summary
Tips for Preparing for a Road Trip with a Dog and a Baby
Hello Wouafer's! If you've already had the chance to read the article about our trip to Scotland in spring 2023, you already know everything about us! If you're new to us, we are a couple from Rennes in our thirties, happy owners of a 5-year-old Welsh corgi Pembroke, Stilton, a little Instagram star. The only new thing is that the family has grown since then! 👶
Since adopting our dog, we wanted to share a trip abroad, but above all we wanted his needs, comfort and pace to be respected because he is a sensitive dog.
Musher and Sophie : – “Romain and Cynthia are absolutely right! Having a sensitive dog requires a bit more planning and attention than a super easy dog like Musher. If your dog is rather sensitive, I advise you to prepare yourself by reading our article “ Traveling with a stressed or anxious dog ”.
After returning from our successful Scottish trip with Stilton, we were looking for a new destination that would meet all our expectations and extraordinary natural landscapes. The Dolomites had been on our bucket list for a while! So let's go for the preparation of a road trip with our baby and our dog!
Here is our itinerary from Brittany to the Dolomites with our dog:
Part 1:
- Departure from Rennes in Brittany
- Stop in Basel, in the North of Switzerland
- Stop at the entrance to Tyrol, in Innsbruck, Austria
Part 2:
- Arrival in the Dolomites in Italy, in Cortina d'Ampezzo and its surroundings
- The Lakes of Braies, Dobiacco and Landro
Part 3:
- The Tre Cime hike
Part 4:
- Passo Giau
- Val di Funes and Bolzano
- Lake Carezza and Alpe di Siusi
We were able to obtain this GPS track of our road trip because Stilton always carries his Tractive dog GPS tracker with him . This meant we weren't afraid to let him off-leash during walks and hikes because we could easily find him wherever he was.
The entire route of our road trip with our baby and dog is fully accessible in the "Highlights" section on our Instagram page @stilton.thecorgi . It has two parts: Broadtrip and Dolomites.
Based in Rennes, Brittany, with a baby over six months old and a dog, we chose to drive to the Dolomites in Italy, stopping for a few days at a time along the way. August isn't necessarily the ideal time for long car journeys. However, we were lucky that Stilton liked his carrier and was calm during the trips. Plus, regular stops allowed him to stretch his legs. Visiting the Dolomites in the middle of summer might deter some, as it's a trendy and very touristy destination, especially with its picture-postcard locations. But surprisingly, we were expecting more crowds, perhaps because we had read and heard several articles warning us beforehand. We visited the main sites with our dog and baby at off-peak times to fully appreciate them. This also helped us manage the baby's naps. Moreover, many sites in this Italian region have roads closed from 9am to 5pm in peak season (access Tre Cime / Lago di Braies / Alpe de Siusi).
Musher and Sophie : – “Going on holiday with a dog is already quite an undertaking, but with a baby, it's a whole different story! Thank you, Romain, for these valuable tips. To learn more, you can read our article on “ How to have a wonderful family holiday with a child and a dog ” 😉 ”
⚠️ Important: For a short trip to Switzerland, Austria, and Italy from France, a dog must:
- Be at least 12 weeks old at the time of rabies vaccination.
- Have a microchip
- Have an up-to-date European Passport
- Be up to date with your mandatory vaccinations and have received an anti-rabies certificate
On our return trips between Brittany and Italy, we did not have any customs checks and we will therefore not be able to provide you with any other specific arrangements.
Finally, you can purchase motorway vignettes online ( here for Switzerland and here for Austria by activating the "Flex" option) to streamline your journey through the two countries without stopping at toll booths.
💡 Tip: We knew Stilton would be doing a lot of walking on all kinds of surfaces: tarmac, gravel, stones, grass, sand, and dirt. So, we applied a paw pad strengthener every other day, alternating it with a moisturizing balm to toughen the leather on his paws. This way, our dog was protected from any minor injuries that would have prevented him from fully enjoying our group activities. And just like for Scotland, we had prepared a small first-aid kit with essentials to deal with any minor ailments.
Switzerland is too much like Basel with a dog and a baby
After a stopover in Mulhouse from Brittany, we decided to stay 2/3 days with our dog and our baby in Basel , Switzerland to enjoy this human-sized city.
For those arriving by car, there is the possibility of parking in the city in spaces with “blue” markings on the ground and a disc, for 10 Swiss francs per day.
This is a city with many fountains, which have the particularity of having at their base small bowls for our companions directly integrated! We loved the system and Stilton too.
Musher and Sophie : – “It’s possible to take a guided tour of Basel’s old town . It lasts 2 hours, so it’s easily accessible with a dog. Please note that you need to be bilingual as it’s only offered in English or German! ”
As for dog-friendliness, we didn't have any particular expectations, knowing it would be difficult to top Scotland . But we were pleasantly surprised by this Swiss city, as several points of interest are accessible to dogs on leashes. There are even food shops that readily allow dogs inside. We only encountered a few refusals. Regarding restaurants, many are located along the Rhine, in a relaxed, open-air style. Being outdoors, we were able to fully enjoy them with Stilton. During this summer season, the city is very calm and peaceful.
The Rhine flows through the city, and one of the activities you can do is rent a waterproof bag from the Tourist Office or buy one to put your belongings in, then float downriver, letting yourself be carried by the natural current. It's quite fun to watch. The only downside is that you can't swim with your dog in the city center. However, there are two well-known dog swimming areas where you can take your dog for a swim, and they're quite lovely! Dogs can roam freely off-leash and swim on the St. Alban-Rheinweg and near the Tinguely Museum . They're easily accessible by car, so Stilton was able to try it out!
Regarding public transport, dogs are allowed provided you buy a half-fare ticket for them (as for children).
Musher's seasonal advice
In Tyrol, Austria: Pretzels galore
Tyrol is a mountainous region in western Austria. Its capital is the city of Innsbruck , where we had booked a room at the Hotel Central Innsbruck . They accept dogs for an additional €15.
The human-sized town is super pleasant to visit with a baby and a dog. It is crossed by the Inn River and overlooked by the mountain, which leaves the possibility of doing many hikes.
The Nordkette mountain range is part of Austria's largest nature park: the Karwendel Nature Park. It's easily accessible with a baby and a dog directly from Innsbruck city center! And it only takes a few minutes via the funicular . Dogs are allowed on the funicular provided they wear a muzzle.
Dogs travel free of charge on the IVB city lines and also on public buses outside Innsbruck (muzzle and leash required). Dog owners pay 10% of the full fare for their four-legged friend, but at least €2 on ÖBB trains.
For more information on the different funiculars and access conditions, go to the Innsbruck city website.
Time was limited for us but it is definitely worth stopping for at least 2 days or even a long weekend to enjoy all the outdoor activities with your dog.
And here's our Woof couple on their way to Italy with their baby and their dog! I think their road trip from Brittany is off to a great start, what about you? In any case, they've shown me that crossing several countries by car with a dog and a baby is possible, and for that, hats off to them! It's Woof-tastically inspiring! And if you'd like to follow all the adventures of Cynthia, Romain, their baby, and their dog Stilton, you can follow them on Instagram 👉 @stilton.thecorgi 😉 Thanks again to Romain for sharing his story!
Find the following episodes of their road trip in the Dolomites just below 👇
PS: If you missed the story of their road trip in Scotland with their dog, here is the first episode which summarizes the practical points for preparing a trip to Scotland with a dog.
organize your holidays
Ready to visit Basel, Innsbruck or another city between Brittany and Italy? Has this article made you want to organize a road trip with your baby and your dog? Prepare your vacation with peace of mind by clicking on the following links:
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