Brest

50-hectare wooded valley running from the Saint-Marc district down to the Moulin Blanc marina, housing the National Botanical Conservatory. Leashed dogs welcome on all public paths, banned from tropical greenhouses.

18th-century tree-lined elevated promenade laid out in 1769 along the old ramparts above the Port de Commerce, with sweeping views over the Rade de Brest and the Penfeld. Leashed dogs welcome at all hours, lined with linden trees.

14th-century stone tower at the foot of the Pont de Recouvrance, housing 14 dioramas by Jim-E. Sévellec recreating Brest before 1939. Free admission afternoons except Mondays, the surrounding Square Pierre Péron is leashed-dog friendly.

Brest's large ocean discovery park, with tropical, polar and Brittany pavilions, drawing over 400,000 visitors a year. Animals banned except certified assistance dogs; plan a pet-sitter for the half-day visit.

Europe's largest vertical-lift drawbridge, opened in 1954 and rebuilt in 2012, spanning the Penfeld with a 64 m central deck that lifts for naval ships. Free pedestrian and leashed-dog access, best photo from the Cours Dajot.

11 km out-and-back section of the GR34 coastal path between Le Conquet and the Pointe Saint-Mathieu lighthouse, 25 minutes drive west of Brest. Cliffs, abbey ruins and one of the most photographed lighthouses on the Atlantic. Leashed dogs year-round.