Take your dog
Dogs are welcome at La Cité de Pierres!
Your loyal companion is an integral part of your adventures, and is therefore more than welcome here!
They can join you on all the trails as well as aboard the tourist train.
Out of respect for other visitors and to help protect local wildlife, it is important to keep your dog on a leash throughout your visit.
Our team will be happy to recommend the most suitable walks for you — for a great experience on two or four legs!
On-site Services and Site Facilities
Our site has been designed to be accessible to visitors with dogs!
Here are a few tips to help you make the most of your visit:
- A dog bar is set up near the site entrance, with fresh water renewed daily, so our four-legged visitors can refresh themselves before or after their walk.
For the rest of your visit, don’t forget to bring water for the whole family — including a small bowl for your dog, who may get thirsty in the sun. - Dog waste bags are also available upon request from our friendly reception team, who are always happy to help.
Please remember to keep the trails clean during your visit — bins are available in the parking area and near the picnic spots to dispose of used bags. - Some trails include stairs and small metal footbridges, allowing you to access areas that would otherwise be unreachable.
While most dogs cross them without difficulty, some may feel a little uneasy. If that’s the case, feel free to guide them gently or choose an alternative route — our team will be happy to help you find the best option. - Dogs are welcome aboard the La Cité de Pierres train.
Please note that during high season, the train can fill up quickly.
As a result, we may occasionally advise against this activity for very large dogs, to ensure a comfortable ride for all passengers.
Your Dog and the Surrounding Nature
As La Cité de Pierres is a natural site, it’s important to be mindful of the environment you and your dog will be exploring during your visit.
Our site is home to many wild animals (foxes, deer, badgers, various birds…) that find safety among the rocks and come here to reproduce.
These animals rarely venture into the developed and frequently visited areas of the site, and generally inhabit the rest of the geological park.
We kindly ask you to stay on the marked paths and keep your dog on a leash, in order not to disturb this wildlife.
The Causse Noir is home to many species of caterpillars, and two of these can be found at La Cité de Pierres.
It’s important to be able to recognize and distinguish them.
Pine processionary caterpillars are present and can be dangerous to humans — but especially to animals — as they release irritating hairs when they feel threatened.
They are most commonly seen in spring.
To help limit their presence on the trails, we remain vigilant and apply preventive measures such as traps and biological treatments.
While these methods are effective, this is a natural environment and you may still come across processionary caterpillars.
We therefore invite you to take the following precautions:
- Keep your dog firmly on a leash to ensure they don’t sniff or eat any processionary caterpillars.
- Do not approach processionary caterpillars or their cocoons (the white cocoons are easily spotted in pine trees).
- In case of contact or suspected exposure, immediately rinse the affected area with plenty of water and contact a veterinarian without delay.
Also present on our site, box tree moth caterpillars can be invasive as they hang from trees, but they pose no danger to humans or animals.
They are easy to recognize by their green color with black and white stripes, and do not require any special precautions.
La Cité de Pierres is located on the Causse Noir, so there are naturally no watercourses on site.
However, we want to inform you about the presence of cyanobacteria in nearby water bodies during summer, which can also be dangerous for our four-legged companions.
You can find more information about cyanobacteria on the Millau Grands Causses Tourist Office website.
Our team is available to provide information about the site’s ecosystem and how it may interact with your visit.
The “Take Your Dog” initiative
La Cité de Pierres has been partnering for several years with the Millau Grands Causses Tourist Office and the EmmèneTonChien.com team to provide a quality welcome to visitors accompanied by their dogs.
EmmèneTonChien.com is an online platform that originated in the Hérault region from a simple observation: Sophie, the owner of Musher, could never find the necessary information to enjoy a nice vacation with her four-legged companion. She therefore created a collaborative platform that has since evolved into a real initiative with two main objectives. The first: to make vacation planning easier for families with a dog. And the second: to fight against the abandonment of pets. You can find information about pet-friendly accommodations, the best equipment for animals, and great tips to make the most of your vacation. Moreover, advice and feedback from other users, as well as the QUALIDOG label, ensure a warm welcome for your four-legged companion.
La Cité de Pierres is proud to be listed on this platform and to have received the QUALIDOG label — 1 paw — for the quality of welcome it offers to visitors accompanied by their dogs.
Take Your Dog to Millau – Tips for Your Vacation with Us
The Millau Grands Causses Tourist Office has made the region an ideal destination for visitors accompanied by their dogs. As part of the “Take Your Dog” initiative, significant work has been done to centralize information. It is now easy for you to organize your vacation including your furry friend!
On the Tourist Office website, you’ll find information about the most suitable accommodations for your stay, ideas for dog-friendly activities (such as a day at La Cité de Pierres or a canoe trip), suggested walks to take with your dog, and of course essential information to help you avoid any issues: canine professionals in Millau, a page with details about veterinarians, as well as grooming and pet-sitting services.
Feel free to ask our reception team for advice on suitable walks and services!