Dog dirt on French campsites

We've been camping in France since the late ' 60s but this year has taken the record for the number of dog turds we've had to remove from shoes or pitches. Either I am getting more fussy or am noticing it more than usual but it is really getting to me.

This trip we have had unrestrained dogs blunder by and do their business on the pitch, we have had owners walking their dogs allow them to do it on pitches, with no attempt to pick up, and we have blundered into it while walking to sanitary blocks etc.

It' s odd that while the rules and regulations published by law on French sites run to several closely typed pages, they don' t seem to include not letting your dog defaecate on site.

When we suggest, politely, to owners that they go elsewhere with their dog or at least pick up after it, they look at our GB registration, shake their head in amazement at our fussiness and comply.

I can' t be alone in finding it disgusting: last time we were there the pavements near the municipal site at Wimereaux had " Trottoir pas Crottoir" painted on them. Didn' t seem to be doing much good though.

Rant over !

Q

Hi there,

You are NOT alone!! 

When we lived in Toulouse walking along the street entailed dancing the "Toulouse Two-step" to avoid the multitude dog deposits.  

There is good news though.  

We have friends in Zurich, Ontario who we met in France twelve years ago.  Our introduction to Liz was when we heard her swearing in Hungarian as she scraped her shoes on the roots of a tree at the side of the canal.

A memorable meeting that has been followed by twelve years of drinking, dining and visiting across six countries and two continents!  

All down to a small pile of what dogs do best!! 

Best regards,

No you're not alone in noticing an increase in inconsiderate (mainly continental) dog owners on French sites and aires. I've toured abroad extensively in the last 20 years, and it's my 'pet' hate. So much so that we now only visit sites that ban dogs. But we've noticed this last trip that dog owners are now flouting the 'dogs on beach' ban that operate on many swimming beaches, so we seem to be fighting a losing battle.
Al.

I must be lucky. I've been here in France for 5 weeks now and don't think the dog mess problem is as bad here as it is at home. There isn't so much on the streets either and the whole place seems cleaner altogether.

Nora