With my dog | Destination Pays Bigouden, Brittany – Official website of the tourist office

Responsible doggies

Our little corner of the world has seduced you with its wild natural expanses and remarkable flora and fauna. In Pays Bigouden, the marshes, dunes and beaches are sensitive and protected areas. Many species of birds nest and rest here. Some of these areas belong to the Conservatoire du Littoral, where dogs are allowed, but only on a lead. To see if your walk is authorised, check the list of Conservatoire sites.

Dogs are not allowed on beaches. What do the regulations mean?

Dogs are not allowed on beaches:

In Pays Bigouden Sud:

From 1 May to 30 September (Combrit Sainte-Marine, Île-Tudy, Loctudy, Plobannalec-Lesconil, Plomeur, Saint-Jean Trolimon and Tréguennec) and from 1 June to 30 September (Le Guilvinec and Treffiagat).

In Haut Pays Bigouden (Plovan, Tréogat, Pouldreuzic and Plozévet)

From 1 June to 30 September (in accordance with regional regulations)

Dogs on a lead are allowed on the beaches:

In Penmarc’h: from 1 May to 30 September from 8pm to 10am. The rest of the year, there are no time restrictions.

Municipal decrees of the communes of the Pays bigouden3MB

Benjamin Buisson, Head of the Coastline and Biodiversity Unit at the Pays Bigouden Sud Community of Communes, explains why you need to be careful.

“You have to think of Audierne Bay as a refuge where birds find one of the few resting places in a world that is already very artificial.
“Many migratory birds have travelled hundreds of kilometres and are stopping off to regain their strength or to breed and raise their young.
“Dogs bounding around are a real source of stress for the birds, which will flee from them and tire themselves out with their vigilance. The Ring-necked Plover, for example, lays its eggs on the beach. They are very exposed to the disturbance caused by dogs and this can lead to the adult birds abandoning their broods.”

Benjamin Buisson

Dogs and their owners agree to:

Make sure that the places you visit are authorised for dogs
Always keep your dog on a lead in places where this is compulsory
Always take dog-poop bags with you on walks – and use them! Please pick up after your dog every time.

Doggy takes the owner for a walk

Although dogs are not allowed on beaches during the season, most other areas are accessible to them. In particular, most of the walks and circuits on our website or on our walking maps allow dogs to enjoy the fresh air with their owners:

along the harbours,
in the enticing smells of fresh tide,
in the open countryside, where your pet can stroll to his heart’s content,
on car-free greenways,
in the towns and villages of Bigouden, where he’ll get his own idea of our customs…

There’s plenty for our four-legged friends to do!

Activities, visits, bike rides

It’s your holiday too… so make the most of activities and visits accompanied by your pet. You can go boating or visit certain museums that accept dogs.Bike hire companies will provide you with trailers and baskets so you can take your four-legged friend for a ride together, ears to the wind, along the roads and paths of Pays Bigouden.

Contacts for your address book

There’s no shortage of good restaurants in Pays Bigouden and most of them accept pets, sometimes on a leash or sometimes only on the terrace. See the list of pet-friendly restaurants.
Take a look at out thehotels that accept dogs as well as campsites, bed and breakfasts and rental accommodation that are dog-friendly.
Finally, of course, our tourist information offices are open to your little companions. There’s a doggie bar where they can quench their thirst while you gather all the information you need for your stay.

What if your dog gets lost?

Has your pet got lost?

Contact the nearest town hall
Call the Pont-l’Abbé gendarmerie on +33 (0)2 98 87 06 64, who will be able to direct you to a specialist service
Report the loss of your pet at https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/vosdroits/F24029
The Quimper and Plouhinec pet-rescue centres can be contacted, as can local vets.
Remember to try social networks and search groups such as Pet Alert (version 29).