James Middleton has offered royal fans a delightful glimpse into his "family tour" across France, proving that even a challenging hike can be a charming adventure when you have your beloved canine companions by your side.
Taking to the Instagram account for his dog food business, James & Ella, the Princess of Wales' younger brother shared an adorable photo of two of his much-loved dogs, Mabel and Isla, enjoying the breathtaking French countryside.
The furry adventurers were pictured sitting serenely on a stretch of road that forms part of the iconic Tour de France route.
"Hiking stage 18 of the Tour de France on our family Tour of France," James said in the caption. "We are about 1km from the summit of the Col de la Loze in Courchevel, where the riders are going through today. Mabel and Isla didn’t even break a sweat."
He added: "If you're curious about cycling with your dog, a while back I wrote a blog about it. Funny enough, it has quietly become one of the internet's most-read on the topic."
Family life
James is no doubt with his wife Alizee Thevenet, who hails from France. The couple tied the knot in 2021 and went on to welcome their son Inigo on 21 September 2023.
© InstagramHis full name, Inigo Gabriel Middleton, includes a tribute to Alizée's father. In his memoir, Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, James explained: "Gabriel is in memory of his grandfather, Alizee's papa. It is a small tribute and we look forward to sharing lots of stories about his French grandad too."
James's take on fatherhood
In an exclusive interview and photoshoot with HELLO! back in April, the entrepreneur opened up about juggling work with parenthood.
"Yes, getting up in the morning trying to feed six dogs and get Inigo fed and off to nursery is a challenge," James shared.
© Instagram / @jmidyHe continued: "I'm less bothered about changing nappies as I've cleared up enough poo over the years! And you have to have patience, you can't rush anything. I often look at Alizee and say, 'What did we do before we had Inigo? What did we do with all that time?'
"But it's like anything in life – you evolve and change. You can look back at the past and enjoy the memories but not chase them today as it's a waste of energy."
