Accessibility in Paris:
Understanding disability:
- 1.3 billion people worldwide live with a disability
- This affects us all: 1 in 2 people will experience a disability at some point in their lives
- 85 per cent of disabilities occur after the age of 16
- A disability is not just about being in a wheelchair: fewer than 5 per cent of people with a mobility disability use a wheelchair
- 80 per cent of disabilities are invisible
- People with disabilities make an average of 4.1 journeys a year (compared with 7.6 for people without disabilities) – travelling more than 80 km from home.
- Nearly 40 per cent of adults with disabilities do not go on holiday, due, amongst other things, to difficulties accessing tourist attractions
Source: DREES
Accessibility in Paris and the Paris region:
- Paris has 17 districts with enhanced accessibility: these enable everyone, regardless of their circumstances, to get around Paris easily and to access the ‘15-minute city’
- To date, Metro Line 14 is fully accessible, from the first to the last stop, for all types of disability, including wheelchair users, across its 21 stations.
- RER lines A and B, and the bus network, are fully accessible.
- As a result of the extension of lines 4, 11 and 14, 29 stations in the Île-de-France region are now fully accessible.
- By 2030, 68 stations across lines 15, 16, 17 and 18 will also become fully accessible.
- For visually impaired passengers, trains are equipped with an audio announcement system, whilst stations feature audible beacons, information in Braille, tactile paving and wayfinding strips.
- 133 establishments with the ‘Tourisme & Handicap’ label in Greater Paris
Legacy of Paris 2024:
The Paris 2024 Games marked a key milestone for accessibility. The city seized this opportunity to accelerate its accessibility programme, provide a more inclusive environment and ensure easier access to everyday services, whilst raising public awareness of disability issues.
- Accelerating the city’s accessibility
- Promoting regular participation in sport for all
- Improving participation for people with disabilities
Paris je t’aime: audits for an ever more accessible Paris:
Accessibility is a cornerstone of the Paris je t’aime initiative. Since 2023, 689 tourism establishments in Greater Paris received support in carrying out accessibility assessments (hotels, cultural sites, restaurants)
This initiative aims to make Paris an exemplary, inclusive and welcoming destination for everyone.
These audits have made it possible to assess the range of accessible facilities, help visitors with specific needs to organise their stay, and support professionals in a process of continuous improvement. These accessibility assessments remain available as open data on the Paris Data website.
The parisjetaime.com website:
The website dedicated to visitors is adapted for people with visual impairments. A person without a screen reader can navigate it without any difficulty.
The Official ‘Paris je t’aime Handicap’ App:
The official ‘Paris je t’aime’ app enables visitors to make the most of their visit and invites them to discover Paris in a different way.
For visitors with disabilities, the official ‘Paris je t’aime’ app is available in an accessible version, offering a digital itinerary tailored to users with specific needs. The information is filtered by type of disability.
The Paris je t’aime - Tourist Office Concierge Service:
The concierge service, a telephone and online helpdesk dedicated to providing information and guidance to visitors, is staffed by personnel trained to listen and able to meet the needs of visitors with disabilities to make their stay easier.
Accessible transport services in Paris:
- Go Turtle: a cycle taxi service for journeys around Paris or themed tours, in a two-person cycle cab.
- Cycles AFAC Location: hire of adapted bicycles for all types of disability.
- Omni: an innovation project aimed at facilitating mobility for wheelchair users.
- G7 Access: a fleet of adapted taxis with access ramps for non-folding wheelchairs (by booking or on-the-spot request).
- AICV: an economic and social project promoting cycling, offering adapted bike hire for all types of users, cycling lessons, repair workshops and more.
- Mobeelux: a premium private transport service, adapted for people with disabilities.
- Handi Express: transport for people with reduced mobility, any distance, any route.
Disability-friendly leisure activities in Paris:
- Théâtre de Chaillot: the national dance theatre provides vibrating vests for people with hearing impairments, allowing them to feel the music through low-frequency vibrations and experience the full émotions of the performance.
- Sensas: SENSAS Paris combines entertainment, awareness-raising and action through a community-focused initiative, aiming to raise funds for an organisation that promotes disability awareness.
- Café Joyeux: socially responsible cafés and restaurants that contribute to the inclusion of people with disabilities
- Dans le Noir Paris: a sensory dining experience, served by a blind staff.
- Comédie Française: a range of accessibility measures to welcome people with disabilities, whether they are visiting the theatre or attending a performance.
- Petit Palais: guided tours led by cultural guides trained to welcome visually impaired visitors using multi-sensory approaches, and adapted art workshops.
