We are travelling down to Italy from

I recommend;-

• The Shuttle rather than Ferries - so simple, and flexible in time of tunnel trip [2 hrs leeway either side]
• Keep to motorways wherever possible - more expensive, but less stressful to dogs than meandering roads
• limit journey times to 2 hrs between doggie stops - french service areas are often pretty good for dogs walking.
• Max journey time - about 5 hrs max a day - for the dogs' sake, not yours
• Accomodation on the way down - look at Logis De France - shows hotels that accept dogs in rooms and restaurants [if you want to ]
• Favourite Route with dogs -      calais - dijon -  Besancon - Switzerland [vignette needed] simplon pass, then on to autostrada to Milan and beyond

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Thanks for letting me know the best way I will look in to it ..lesleyuna

Hi We travel about once a year to the UK with our little dog and have used many different routes, basically it really depends what type of vehicle you are travelling in if it is a car then I would definitely choose the motorways faster and easier. We have a large van so it is pricey on French motorways and through French tunnels.It also depends where you live in the Uk we have found it better to take the ferry dieppe Newhaven a much shorter route across France, we actually use the main roads but there is also a motorway making the route much faster and if you live on the west side of the uk.  We use in France Ibis,  the b and b chain and smaller private hotels. We always try to keep to a budget nothing above 60 euros and all have been very good and also welcoming the dog.In December we went upto Como Ibis hotel Grandate good value always good deals to include breakfast and welcome dogs. Into Switzerland , San Gottardo tunnel, Basel, motorway into France following route to colmar, after colmar turn off motorway head towards  Nancy through toll paying tunnel cost about 9 euros for a very large van, the distance off the motorway was very short so we lost little time, then back onto motorway metz a good ibis budget hotel , Luxembourg,  Lille, Dunkirk and to calais. Although there is a ferry from dunkirk. This route was mainly motorways with no tolls. On our return we went from Calais lille valenciennes,  (ibis hotel) reims, dijon, beune(used a b abd b hotel ) at the side of the motorway just outside the town, chalons, chamberey (ibis budget hotel) outside chamberey going towards frejus tunnel. Hope this helps a little obviously we have not used all these stopovers this time but we never have a problem with our little dog until we reach Britain and then it is as if we have some strange infectious disease.  Hotels, cafes, restaurants I think they lock the doors when they see us approaching. We try to minimise our time in the UK because our little dog does not understand she is always in our company here. The only chain of hotels in the uk that have been welcoming was Days inn. We did also stay in Travel lodge on one occasion but got the worst room that they could find.   We also found the motorway route through Switzerland, Luxembourg etc very stressful the roads were frantic, lots of traffic etc. Which actually does nit help the little dog when we get anxious.That is why we returned through France were the roads are much quieter. Thankfully we live in Piemonte so there is not a long drive once we arrive in Italy. Good luck Julia

Thanks we are looking in to maybe going that way ..
I hope there will be no snow at that time in February going through Switzerland.

Almost certain there will be snow around in Switzerland then - but they are pretty good at keeping things clear.  This site may assisthttp://www.myswissalps.com/car/trafficinfoHowever, the risk of snow is why I wouldn't do the route over the muntains between Colmar and NancyDon't forget about the Vignette for the Swiss motorways - you can buy them in German autobahn services just before Basle [then turn left ( around Lorrach) to by pass Basle]

I used bookings.com and found loads of dog friendly hotels.  Some don't allow dogs in restaurants but most dogs if they have there bed will stay in room quite happily. I looked at smaller hotels as they usually we very dog friendly. Also a lot of shopping centres and shops allow dogs in them in Europe and u usually find drinking points everywhere for them. We went by euro tunnel as only half an hour and you stay in you car. Really easy and quick !