In a couple of previous posts, I described Relais & Châteaux and Grandes Etapes Françaises, two sources of luxurious and dog-friendly accommodations and restaurants in France (and around the world, in the case of Relais & Châteaux). Another company you should know about when you’re making plans for a glorious French vacation is the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection, which offers over 500 restaurants and places to stay located throughout France, with additional properties in Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Andorra. The properties are sorted into five categories: Orus (the most fabulous), Caractères (manor houses and châteaux with historic charm), Beaux Hôtels (high-end hotels), La Compagnie des Auberges (country inns) and Demeures Privées (bed & breakfasts).

The customer service representative I spoke with said that “many” of the properties are dog-friendly — querying the C&H site’s search engine for “Pets Welcome” properties (see below) yields 395 hits and a request that you further narrow your search.

One way to find out which properties allow dogs is to buy the C&H guide, which can be ordered on-line and costs about €10. Alternatively, go to the website and, in the “Find your hotel” box, click on “Advanced Search.” Click on “More search options.” One of the options, under “Services,” is “Pets Welcome.” Check that box , then check the other boxes you care about (level of luxuriousness, degree of restaurant perfection, etc.) to find a place to stay that suits you and your dog. (As always, let the hotel of your choice know that you have a dog when you make your reservation, and ask about the property’s rules for visiting dogs.)