I first “met” Christie when she left a comment on a post I’d written about PetEgo’s Pet at Work travel carrier, asking whether I thought it would work as an in-cabin carrier — she and her husband were headed to France with their dog Miso, and the Pet at Work backpack had caught their eye. As you’ll see, they spent some time in Paris, and then headed off to the Loire Valley. Here’s Christie’s report (she actually posted two separate comments, which I’ve combined into one):

The beautiful and dog-friendly Château de Villandry (photo by Joe Shlabotnik)

Paris is so dirty compared to the countryside. We have enjoyed our stay in the Loire Valley a lot more with its expansive grass and beautiful gardens. So far, Miso’s favorite spot has been Chateau Villandry. Chateau Villandry and Chenonceau allowed Miso into their gardens. To enter the chateaus, she needed to be in her bag or in your arms.

BEWARE of Chateau Royal in Blois and Chateau Chambord: Neither allows dogs at all (Chambord has recently changed their policy and no longer allows dogs). We were lucky enough to convince Chambord to keep her at the front desk while we toured the interior of the chateau. In order to enjoy Chateau Royal in Blois, we ended up staying the Hotel de France down the slope from the chateau for less than 50 euros. We left her in the room for 1 hour while visiting Chateau Royal.

How useful! I’m sorry that the last two châteaux Christie mentions ban dogs, but I’m thrilled that you can take your small dog inside (inside!!) the Château de Villandry and the Château de Chenonceau, and that you can walk your leashed dog around their gardens. The rest of Christie’s message is not so positive — I wonder if we too will encounter unfriendly dog owners when we visit Paris next month?

I’ve been boggled by the number of unfriendly French dog owners around. In both Paris and the Loire Valley, we have encountered only 3 friendly pet owners who allowed their pets to greet our dog. Everyone else seems to always drag their dog along and/or pull their pet to the other side of the curb to avoid us. I had envisioned a grand “social” event walking down the streets of Paris and small towns of Loire. I’ve been very much disappointed by the other pet owners. However, it has been great being able to dine indoors with my pet, boarding trains/buses and entering most tourist sites.

Thanks so much, Christie, for all of this helpful information — it’s so appreciated!