Visiting Paris with a dog: the rules to know in 2026

The short answer

Paris is not closed to dogs, but the city regulates them closely. Remember five points:

• Leash mandatory throughout public spaces in Paris.
• Metro and RER: small dogs in a bag travel free, large dogs travel free but muzzled and on a leash. Large dogs are not allowed on buses or trams.
• Parks: only green spaces signposted as open to dogs accept them, on a leash and on the paths only.
• Museums and monuments: as a general rule, only guide and assistance dogs are admitted.
• Dog mess: failing to pick it up costs a €135 fine.

Entering France with your dog

From a European Union country

For a tourist stay, your dog must be:

• identified by microchip (a tattoo is still accepted if it was done before 3 July 2011);
• vaccinated against rabies; the vaccine can be given from 12 weeks of age and only becomes valid at least 21 days after the injection;
• carrying its European pet passport, issued and filled in by a vet.

A puppy therefore cannot travel before about 15 weeks of age. Above 5 animals per household, other rules apply.

From a country outside the European Union

The requirements are stricter, according to the French Ministry of Agriculture:

• microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination;
• rabies vaccine given by a vet, from 12 weeks of age;
• rabies antibody titration test in an EU-approved laboratory: blood sample taken at least 30 days after the vaccine and at least 3 months before travel. This test is not required for dogs coming from exempt countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and New Zealand;
• health certificate following the EU model, signed by an official vet in the country of departure, valid for 10 days from its date of issue for entry into the EU.

On arrival, go to customs of your own accord with your dog's documents. Check with your vet several months before departure: the 3-month wait after the blood test cannot be shortened.

Dogs banned from entry

Importing a 1st category dog (attack dogs of the American Staffordshire terrier, Mastiff or Tosa type without a pedigree) into France is prohibited. The rules for 2nd category dogs are detailed further down.

Metro, RER, bus and tram

The RATP rules, updated on 28 August 2026, depend on the size of your dog:

• Small dogs: free on the whole network (metro, RER, bus, tram), provided they travel in a bag, basket or closed carrier suited to their size.
• Larger dogs: accepted only on the metro and RER, free of charge, muzzled and kept on a leash. They are not allowed on buses or trams.
• Guide and assistance dogs: allowed everywhere, free of charge, without a muzzle, on a leash and wearing an identification harness. Staff may ask for proof.
• 1st and 2nd category dogs: not allowed on the RATP network.

A dog out of its bag or a large dog without a muzzle exposes its owner to a fine. For how the network works in general, see our guide to the metro and RER and our guide to buses in Paris.

On SNCF Transilien trains, the City of Paris states that large dogs need a reduced-fare ticket for each journey. Mainline trains are covered in our guide to Paris train stations.

Taxis and ride-hailing (VTC)

A guide or assistance dog must be accepted on all forms of transport, taxis included. For a pet dog, the driver decides: mention the animal when you book.

The G7 taxi company offers a free "Animal de compagnie à bord" ("pet on board") option, to tick when ordering; according to G7, around 2,000 drivers accept it. For fares and taxi ranks, see our guide to taxis in Paris.

Parks, gardens and woods

City of Paris green spaces

According to the City of Paris, 165 green spaces signposted as such accept dogs on a leash. Dogs may walk on the paths; they are banned from the lawns and flower beds. A sign at the entrance shows whether the garden is open to dogs.

Among the large parks open to dogs under these conditions: the parc Montsouris, the Buttes-Chaumont, the Champ-de-Mars and, since December 2025, the parc Monceau and the parc de Bercy.

Where to let it run off the leash

• 45 dog areas (espaces canins) laid out across Paris, where dogs can be let off the leash.
• Off-leash dog zones (espaces de liberté canins) of more than one hectare in the bois de Boulogne and the bois de Vincennes.

Gardens not run by the City

• Jardin du Luxembourg (French Senate): dogs banned, except in the section between the Gay-Lussac and Observatoire gates, on a leash and off the lawns. See our page on the Jardin du Luxembourg.
• Jardin des Tuileries (Louvre museum): walking dogs is banned on the main paths and on the lawns, tolerated on a leash on the Feuillants and Bord-de-l'Eau terraces and in the Carrousel garden. See our page on the Jardin des Tuileries.

Where dogs are banned

• Cemeteries, including Père-Lachaise, except guide and assistance dogs.
• The Petite Ceinture, even on a leash, to protect wildlife: see our guide to the Petite Ceinture.

Museums and monuments

Do not plan to visit a museum with your dog. The visitor rules of the Louvre ban animals, except guide and assistance dogs. The Eiffel Tower applies the same rule: only animals trained to assist people with disabilities are admitted, and a certificate may be requested.

Each venue sets its own rule in its visitor regulations: check them before you go, or arrange for someone to look after your dog on sightseeing days.

Restaurants, cafés and hotels

Restaurants and cafés

No law requires a restaurant or café to accept a pet dog. According to the DGCCRF (the French consumer protection authority), the business may refuse animals, but not guide or assistance dogs. Ask before sitting down, whether indoors or on the terrace.

Hotels

Hotels may also refuse pets. Mention your dog when you book and check the conditions (possible extra charge, accepted size). To choose a neighbourhood and a price range, see our guide to hotels in Paris by budget.

Guide and assistance dogs

Guide and assistance dogs are admitted to all places open to the public, at no extra charge. Refusing them access is punishable by a fine of up to €450 for an individual and €2,250 for a business.

On the street: leashes, dog mess and categorised dogs

Leashes and dog mess

A leash is mandatory in public spaces in Paris. Picking up after your dog is too, everywhere: the fine for not doing so is €135.

1st and 2nd category dogs

• 1st category (attack dogs): banned from public transport, public places other than the street and premises open to the public. On the street, leash and muzzle are mandatory.
• 2nd category (guard and defence dogs, including the American Staffordshire terrier, the Rottweiler and the pedigree Tosa): leash and muzzle mandatory on the street, in public places, premises open to the public and on public transport.

Reminder: the RATP admits neither 1st nor 2nd category dogs on its network.

Vets and emergencies

• Clinique vétérinaire Place des Fêtes, 11 rue Henri-Ribière, 75019 Paris, tel. 01 42 03 51 51: on-site emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. An emergency consultation costs €149.50 between 20:00 and midnight and between 7:00 and 8:00, and €184 between midnight and 7:00.
• ChuvA, the veterinary hospital of the École nationale vétérinaire d'Alfort, 7 avenue du Général-de-Gaulle, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, tel. 01 43 96 72 72: emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call before coming and bring ID to enter the campus.
• Low-cost care: the City of Paris lists two charity-run clinics, the Fondation Assistance aux Animaux (23 avenue de la République, 75011 Paris) and the SPA clinic (5 avenue Stéphane-Mallarmé, 75017 Paris).

In case of a bite, the person bitten washes and disinfects the wound, then sees a doctor; the dog's owner must report the bite and take the animal to a vet within 24 hours. For yourself, emergency numbers and hospitals are gathered in our guide to emergencies and health in Paris.

Summary

Information and prices checked in October 2026. The RATP rules are those published on 28 August 2026.

Further reading

These rules are among the Parisian customs that visitors often discover on the spot. For other practical questions, see our guides on drinking alcohol in the street in Paris, on where to smoke in Paris and on tap water in Paris, handy for knowing where to refill the water bowl during your walk.