Road trip in Italy with your dog, the unmissable things to discover!

Let's get into the thick of it ! In total we traveled 2 kms! 

• Day 1/ August 27 – Departure from Clermont-Ferrand to Lac du Mont Cenis in Savoie, at an altitude of 2000m, an artificial lake of approximately 7 km². A walk around the lake is possible with a dog. Please note: there are marmots and cows in enclosures on the site. This lake has a "soapy blue" color; it's a splendid and very well-preserved place! You absolutely must discover it with your dog. The night was cool: 11 degrees Celsius. But inside our campervan, it was perfect!

• Day 2 / August 28: Departure for Sirmione , a small town on the shores of Lake Garda, in the province of Brescia, Lombardy region of Italy . Located at the tip of a peninsula jutting into Lake Garda , it is now a major tourist center! We set up camp in a motorhome area next to a dog-friendly park: Camperpark via Cantarane. Beware of mosquitoes! €22/day excluding electricity and showers, which are extra.

• Day 3 / August 29 – Visit to Sirmione. It was indeed crowded, but the town was still manageable at this time of year. Sirmione has dog-friendly beaches, and we went for coffee at the best café in town: Café Grande on Piazza Giosue . Dogs are welcome there, the staff is very friendly, and it's truly a magnificent spa town, with a huge fortress at the entrance.

Then it's off to Desenzano , via the Andreis 84, to taste and buy the best olive oil in the region: Montecrocce (dogs are not allowed in the shop for tasting). Lunch in Salò : a super welcome and delicious, beautifully presented local cuisine (fish, lasagna, tiramisu, breadsticks…): “Ristorante Rose” on Gasparo da Salò.

After lunch, we set off for the Dolomites (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), a mountain range in the Eastern Alps that was once part of Austria . Austrian culture is still very much present there. We then spent the night in a developing area near the Hotel Moseralm, on the banks of a small river with a view of the Dolomites.

• Day 4 / August 30 – Departure for Lake Carezza , a 30-minute walk without difficulty, but it's forbidden to approach the edge of the lake (wooden barrier). This place is truly beautiful despite a storm that ravaged much of the surrounding area… It's best to arrive before 8 a.m. to find one of the few free parking spaces along the road and also to enjoy some peace and quiet, as it's a very popular spot. A must-see! The colors of the water are incredible, and you can see the Dolomites in the background.

Then we set off for Brunico to visit the local market and sample the mushroom and dried meat specialties with a Spritz on a terrace. Afterwards, we headed to a rest area on the edge of the forest in the municipality of Tesido Taisten (with drinking water and picnic tables) – perfect! The forest was teeming with mushrooms, so a little mushroom picking was in order! We also tried out the outdoor shower right in the middle of the forest for the first time – fantastic! We used 100% biodegradable products purchased from the Lamazuna website.

• Day 5 / August 31 – Nicolas's birthday, we set off for Lake Braie, also known as the pearl of the Dolomites. Please note that the access road is closed between 10 am and 15 pm. The loop is 3,5 km long, dogs are welcome, and swimming is even permitted. Be careful though, the water is very cold. This place is also very popular with tourists, so arrive as early as possible. You'll discover a magnificent nature reserve famous for its turquoise green color and for the Croda del Becco massif that overlooks it – a truly Canadian landscape!

Next, we set off for Lake Leandro. It's a very quick hike, but be careful, part of it is muddy and you'll sink in a bit! Then it's on to the Tre Cime via a single road: toll €30 for cars and €45 for campervans. There's a huge parking lot at the foot of these mountains and a special one for vans and campervans with a breathtaking view… This mountain range has a very distinctive and imposing shape with three distinct peaks: Cima Piccola (2857 meters), Cima Ovest (2973 meters), and finally Cima Grande (2999 meters). There's a refuge where you can get food, but no showers.

• Day 6 /September 1 – Wake up at the Tre Cime, several hikes possible from the area, some with a little difference in altitude, others less so. Eldorado for climbers and via ferrata lovers! But ideal with a dog too (be careful though, unfenced cows).