Top 5 of the best destinations to cool off with your dog

Hello, the sun shines shines shines! For us as for our dogs, it is not always easy to face the heat of summer. And with global warming, it's not going to improve..

What are the best holiday destinations to cool off in the summer with your dog? Where to book with your dog to have your feet in the water and enjoy a bit of freshness? Seaside, lake, river, waterfall or mountain…. let me give you some great ideas for enjoying summer vacation with your dog without suffering from the heat. Your dog will love discovering these 5 vacation destinations where you can enjoy the sun without dying of heat. 

I'm going to start this article with a little health reminder and a tip to adopt to prevent the holiday budget from melting like snow in the sun if a doggie goes to the vet's box because of a little sore. What can happen quickly...

A good vacation is often a well-prepared vacation! Especially when you have a dog… You have to identify and book dog-friendly accommodation and identify the activities you can do with your dog once you arrive there. Then, you have to prepare your dog's suitcase, hoping not to forget anything and prepare the car to organize the trip and have the bowl and water close at hand…. In short, there are lots of things to think about to go on vacation with your dog with peace of mind. And curiously, there is an important point that we often forget: insuring your dog. 

If I speak to you about dog insurance in the preamble to this special fresh destination article to test with your dog, it is because it is an important point to anticipate before your vacation. Insuring your animal is the guarantee of being able to take it to the veterinarian if anything happens to it during your holidays. Your holiday budget is safe if your pet is insured. 

A cut, a bite, a sting, a sprain, indigestion... there are many little holiday sores and you should never have to choose between taking care of your doggie and treating yourself to a few pleasures during your holidays. And you shouldn't wait until it's too late to think about insurance for your dog because all costs prior to the date of signature of the contract will not be covered... So if you are not insured before your holidays, nothing will be refunded to you if you ever need to go through the vet box during your stay with your dog. It can be a smart choice. 

I am not a dog insurance specialist, but I have seen thatAgria, animal insurance offers to insure ALL dogs without age or breed limit, even over 10 years old! This Swedish insurance company, present in France for 4 years, has been an expert in animal health for 130 years. Agria devotes part of its profits to veterinary research. It's a nice move, isn't it?

We don't always think about it, but being reimbursed for veterinary health care is far from negligible when you know the cost of veterinary care... I'll let you look at Agria's proposals, but it's a good reflex to have to ensure serene holidays with your dog! 

If in France, all dogs are far from being insured, know that 90% of Swedish dogs are insured! With us, the subscription to an animal mutual is still confidential with the owners. This difference is strange, isn't it?

At Agria, they offer a tailor-made offer for each animal so that each owner can choose the insurance best suited to their dog. Because a healthy young dog does not have the same needs as an older dog with a pathology… On the price side, Agria Assurance for animals offers a first insurance solution from €4/month. As with any insurance or mutual insurance, whether for dogs or for humans, you will of course have to compare the ceilings, deductibles, reimbursement rates, deductible periods and look at the mentions with the list of elements included or in option… to validate that it corresponds to your needs.

Often I hear “it is too hot in the south, now I prefer the Atlantic coast or Brittany” and I answer: “Go to Normandy with your dog instead! ” 

And for good reason ! It is in Normandy that we find the most beaches that accept dogs in France. And not mini-beaches wedged between two ugly industrial sites… No, real beautiful natural beaches of fine sand or pebbles. Large spaces where doggies can take advantage of the joys of swimming to cool off. 

In Normandy, you can enjoy the sun without cooking. And I know what I'm talking about, living in the Hérault, my dog ​​and I spend the summer in the air conditioning, locked in the house because the heat outside is boring and even dangerous for my dog ​​who risks heat stroke. No way for us to go to the beach, there are only 2 on the entire Hérault coast for millions of holidaymakers, to cook on our towel placed 15cm from that of the neighbor...

The article that I recommend to you to find the best beach destination with your dog:  the top 10 best beaches for you and your dog

I'm going to be a bit chauvinistic and tell you about one of my favorite lakes and very close to my home. One of the most beautiful lakes in France, the Lac du Salagou located in the Hérault is certainly worth the detour. As soon as the good weather arrives, it is at the Lac du Salagou that I take refuge with my dog ​​for a cool break. 

The landscape is beautiful and exotic! The place is perfect for a cani-paddle or canoe session with your dog. Your dog will not be welcome on the supervised beaches but there are many very nice little creeks all along the 33km around the lake.

Be careful, in the middle of summer, it is still a place to avoid: the color of the ground, red, attracts heat and the impression of being in a convection oven is terrible. The cool break can quickly turn into a cooking break. Your dog may burn his paws and you may end up crayfish red like those you will come across on the banks. :p

By the way, speaking of bearings… I had a little mishap recently with Musher. Finally, it is rather to my dog ​​that a little mishap happened to tell the truth. A misadventure that led us to the veterinarian to tell you the truth. My dog ​​cut his paw pad on a small piece of glass stuck in the ground. Luckily I had my first aid kit on me to make a quick little bandage before going to the vet… These kinds of injuries happen regularly and going on vacation with an insured dog is the assurance of being able to have your dog treated. dog without having to sacrifice your holiday budget… Agria dog insurance is an option to consider for a peaceful holiday, what do you think?

The lakes are great holiday destinations for a stay with your dog: the Sainte-Croix lake in the Gorges du Verdon, the Bouillouses lake in the Pyrenees, the Gérardmer lake in the Vosges, the Biscarrosse lake…. Perfect destinations for a waterside vacation with your dog. 

The Jura, you know? It is a pretty department ideal for holidays with your dog. And I speak to you knowingly because it is one of my last vacation destinations! And my dog ​​and I loved it! On the program of our holidays: hikes, canipaddle and swimming.

We toured the most beautiful waterfalls of the Jura and the Doubs and discovered magnificent places. What a pleasure to be able to put your legs and feet in the water under these beautiful waterfalls. We were very happy to find these corners of freshness in these hot days of September. We left in the off season and it's ideal to enjoy the waterfalls which regain their tranquility when the crowd of summer tourists have returned to work 😉

Be careful with your dog: if the waterfalls are magical places, there can be some dangers... the flow of water can lead to drowning, the rocks around can be slippery and synonymous with falls, also be careful of falls if you are in top of the waterfall…

Looking for inspiration for your next vacation with your dog? Discover the article the top 10 waterfalls to see with your dog

The Gorges du Tarn: do you know them? If you've never set foot or truffle there, now is the time to book your next vacation there! This is a pretty destination for a stay with your dog that will combine holidays in the sun and a cool break.

On the program for your holidays: canoeing with your dog, paddling with your dog, hours of swimming or reading on the beach by the river, breathtaking hikes along the Tarn gorges...

The top 3 hikes to do with your dog in the Gorges du Tarn and surroundings: the Corniches du Rajol, the Corniches du Méjean and the Corniches du Larzac! You will take full eyes. Be careful, if you suffer from vertigo, these hikes are not for you. I, who am a bit of a coward, had a few heart palpitations in certain places…

And if you want more, in the area, there are also the Dourbie gorges to test with your dog. Guaranteed freshness: the water here is much more striking than in the Tarn.

A small info point: beware of cyanobacteria for your dog. As soon as there are peaks in heat, cyanobacteria wreak havoc and can be fatal for your dog. Be vigilant and check that the bathing place you have chosen is safe. Cyanobacteria can appear in rivers or lakes.

So no, it is not cold in the mountains in summer but very often the nights are cooler there and even cooler when you gain a little altitude. Here's something to enjoy the summer without dying of heat. 

It has happened to me to camp in the Pyrenees and not sleep a wink all night because I was frozen and my dog ​​too... Cool side, we were served :p 

I love going to the mountains in the summer. It's ideal for escaping the heat and… the crowds of the shores of the beach with my dog. 

Alps, Pyrenees, Jura, Vosges, Massif Central: we are spoiled in France. There is only the embarrassment of the choice. Be careful to always have enough water with you if you go hiking in the mountains in the summer with your dog. I have already been trapped, thinking to find sources along my route…

You wanted freshness? I hope this article has given you lots of ideas for your next stay with your dog. Lake, river, waterfall, mountain, seaside: the hardest part will be choosing your next holiday destination with doggie. For my part, I intend to go and discover Normandy with my dog. And to prepare for this holiday as it should be, I will contact AGRIA to take stock of my dog's insurance...