Paris Disabled Access And Wheelchair Accessibility

Paris Disabled Access and Wheelchair
Accessibility

www.sagetraveling.com/Paris-Disabled-Access

Paris Disabled Access
• Many disabled travelers think Paris is not wheelchair friendly, but
that isn't totally true.
• Nearly all of Paris' accessibility challenges can be overcome if you
know how to get around the various barriers.

• Do your homework beforehand (with our
help), and your wheelchair accessible
travel to Paris will be a great trip!

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Paris Disabled Access – Best Aspects
Wheelchair ramps on public buses
• Nearly all of the Paris buses feature wheelchair ramps.
• Although sometimes the wheelchair ramp isn't always operational,
since the buses run frequently one with an operational ramp is never
far away (photo of John Sage using an accessible bus is shown below).


Few hills
• Manual wheelchair users will enjoy
that Paris is fairly flat.
• The biggest exceptions are the area
around the Sacre Cœur Basilica
and near the Panthéon.
• In these areas, manual wheelchair
users and other disabled visitors
may encounter difficulties.


Smooth sidewalks
• Most sidewalks in Paris are smooth and without cobblestones (image
at the below left shows a smooth sidewalk and image at the below
right shows a typical Paris curb cut).
• This is particularly true in the Right Bank near the Louvre as well as on
the Champs-Elysées.
• The largest concentration of cobblestones is found in the Left Bank
near the Panthéon and the Latin Quarter.


Accessibility at the major tourist attractions
• The most popular attractions (the Musée du Louvre, the Eiffel Tower,
and the Notre Dame Cathedral) are generally wheelchair
accessible.
• Accessible entrance to the Louvre is possible by taking the elevator
located at the Pyramid down to the ticket booth.


Accessibility at the major tourist attractions
• The north leg of the Eiffel Tower has an elevator that wheelchair
tourists can use (shown in the image below on the left).
• Notre Dame has a small half-step at the exit that provides the most
accessible entrance for wheelchair users (shown in the image below
on the right).


Accessible boat tours and bus tours are available
• Although most pathways down to the Seine river involve steps, there
are ramps near some of the boat docks that wheelchair users can
utilize.
• Some of the bus tours have buses with wheelchair accessible ramps
for disabled tourists, too.


Paris Disabled Access – Most Challenging Aspects
Accessibility features in 19th century buildings
• Parisians take pride in the appearance of their city and have preserved
their 19th century buildings in both the Left Bank and Right Bank.
• The historical buildings in Paris, including many of the hotels and
restaurants, often have a step or two at the entrance (shown in the
image below).


Paris Disabled Access – Most Challenging Aspects
Accessibility features in 19th century buildings
• Another example of an accessibility challenge is an inaccessible ATM
machine (shown in the image below).


Paris Metro disabled access
• There are only a few accessible metro (subway) stations in Paris.
• The ones that are accessible are not very helpful for getting between
the tourist sights.
• Disabled tourists should use the accessible bus system instead.


Tourist attractions are spread out
• Many of the tourist attractions in Paris are not within walking distance
of each other.
• At least 3 km separates Sacre Cœur in the north, Notre Dame in the
east, and the Eiffel Tower in the West.


Disabled access at Paris tourist attractions
• Accessibility at Paris tourist attractions falls short when compared to
other cities in Europe.
• Several of the museums and churches have not been fully modified to
meet basic accessibility standards.
• An example is the Marmottan Monet Museum (shown in the image
below) where wheelchair users need to transfer to a portable chair
because the elevator is too small for wheelchairs.


Disabled access at Paris tourist attractions
• Tourist attractions that are not wheelchair accessible or require using
an alternative accessible entrance include Sacre Cœur Basilica,
Sainte-Chapelle church, the Arc de Triomphe, the Panthéon (shown
below on the left), the Carnavalet Museum, and the Cluny Museum.
• Parts of the Louvre, such as the area around the Winged Victory
statue (shown in the image below on the right) have steps to reach
them.


Few truly accessible hotels
• Many Paris hotels that call themselves accessible do not actually
provide the minimum accessibility features that disabled travelers
might expect.
• There are not many accessible hotels in central Paris that have a
step-free entrance, a bathroom door wide enough for wheelchair
users, grab bars near the toilet, and a roll-in shower.


Mobility scooters on Paris buses
• The official policy is that a mobility scooter is not allowed on a Paris
bus.
• Sometimes the driver will make an exception but it’s not something
that disabled visitors should count on so other accommodations
should be planned in advance.


We look forward to making your accessible dream vacation a reality!

Call Us: 1-888-645-7920

Contact us at info@sagetraveling.com

www.sagetraveling.com/Paris-Disabled-Access

Paris Disabled Access And Wheelchair Accessibility

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