Travelling in France in a wheelchair

Choosing your destination

Choosing where to go should always be a question of desire! France has the advantage of offering a wide range of destinations, so there's something for everyone: mountains, sea or ocean, countryside, cities... There are plenty of ways to make the most of your trip, whatever you fancy at the time! Let's start with an overview of what's available, to help you choose. 

Accessible destinations: where can you find information?

Despite a rapidly expanding range of inclusive tourist destinations, it's sometimes difficult to find comprehensive, centralised information on their accessibility, both in terms of accommodation and things to do or see on site... So it's not easy to choose where to spend your holidays! To get an idea, there are a few websites available:

- Official destination websites

The websites of the regions, departments or municipalities to which you wish to go sometimes provide information on this subject. If the information is not available directly (in the inclusive tourism or tourism and disability section on the home page), you can sometimes just type ‘PMR’ or ‘Handicap’ in the search bar to get some useful results.

The websites of French departments and regions are available here.

- Tourism labels

Two national labels are used to identify places/destinations that are accessible to all types of disability, in accordance with strict specifications:

- The Tourisme et Handicap mark provides reliable, descriptive and objective information on the accessibility of tourist sites and facilities, - The Destination pour Tous mark promotes a tourist destination that offers an extended stay that is inclusive for all: tourist sites, town planning, transport, facilities, etc.

Useful links: Tourism and Disability-labelled sites Destination for All-labelled regions

- Specialist travel blogs

If you're looking for inspiration, there are travel blogs created by and for people in wheelchairs! In electric or manual wheelchairs, they explore the world and France: in their articles you'll find destination ideas and advice on how best to plan your trip, based on their feedback.

Useful links (non-exhaustive list - French websites):  Handilol I Wheel Travel Andyamo Wheeled wheels and backpack Wheeled World 

What can you do in France in a wheelchair?

The mountains, all year round

Contrary to popular belief, the French mountains are far from inaccessible to people with reduced mobility! In summer and winter, in the Alps and the Pyrenees, you can enjoy the mountain experience to the full:

From spring to autumn

You can enjoy hiking that is accessible to people with reduced mobility, a descent in an all-terrain wheelchair, rafting or canyoning, a paragliding flight or a kayak outing, - In winter, you can hit the slopes on skis, In winter, you can hit the slopes on skis, either on your own or with a tandem, and admire the snow-covered landscapes on Nordic skis or with sled dogs, - Whatever the season, you can enjoy the soothing pleasures of a balneotherapy bath and the special atmosphere of mountain chalets by the fire in the evening.

Special equipment is often required for outdoor activities. Local associations and businesses can provide it, sometimes free of charge: there's no shortage of things to do!

Here are just a few examples of what you can do: All-terrain motorised quadricycle: where can you find Swincar in France? ESF: schools offering lessons for the disabled Activ-handi, adapted mountain experiences, summer and winter Annecy: a dog-sledding experience Loisirs Assis Évasion: activities and adapted equipment for the mountains in summer

Recharge your batteries in the countryside

There's nothing like a spot of greenery to help you unwind! France is full of great places to live, close to nature and discovering a cultural heritage rich in history!

Admire the majestic oak trees of the Tronçais forest, enjoy a walk or cycle along one of France's many greenways, explore the canals on board a houseboat, or discover the châteaux of the Loire... A relaxing break that's ideal for taking time out for yourself!

Take in the sea air

Prefer sea spray to country air? No problem! There's no shortage of coastlines: Mediterranean, English Channel, Atlantic... The diversity of coastal landscapes means there's a wide choice of destinations.

If the beach in a wheelchair can be frightening, you should know that today there are many ways to make the most of it! The Handiplage association lists accessible beaches and their equipment for getting into the water. Want to work up a sweat in the waves? The Handi Surf association takes you on a discovery of surfing adapted for everyone... From the natural spaces of the Bay of the Somme to the turquoise waters of Corsica, discovering the French coastline in a wheelchair is definitely worth the diversions...

Discover the towns

Gastronomy, history, culture, architecture, art of living... In France, urban tourism has plenty to offer! Each city has its own special character, and each visit offers its share of surprises and discoveries... It's just a question of knowing which places are accessible to you! Several sites can help you plan your city-trips.

Knowing where to go

Jaccede.com is a collaborative platform that lists accessible places of all kinds: accommodation, restaurants, museums and local shops, for example. With its detailed selection criteria, it's a very useful source of data for getting organised with peace of mind!

More generic but still effective, the Accessible.net site offers a list of tourist establishments and sites stamped with a specific logo for each type of disability, to indicate their accessibility. It is more extensive in larger towns.

Knowing how to get there

Once the sites to be visited have been identified, the question of how to get around the city arises. Aside from the accessibility of public transport, there is often a temptation to explore the city on foot to get the most out of it. If you're worried about road accessibility, you can use Streetco, a collaborative GPS application that geo-locates obstacles on the public highway in real time (handy for avoiding being blocked by a pavement under construction). The Handimap.org website also provides information on how to find the route best suited to your disability in five French cities (Nice, Montpellier, La Rochelle, Rennes and Lorient).

Good to know: many cultural sites offer preferential rates for people with disabilities and those accompanying them, often on presentation of proof (e.g. an inclusive mobility card). Don't hesitate to find out in advance, on the websites of the places you want to visit or by telephone.

Overseas, in the sun

If you're dreaming of picture-postcard landscapes, you'll love planning a holiday in one of France's overseas destinations! Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion, Polynesia... With their rugged terrain and fine sandy beaches, these destinations are often considered difficult to access for people with reduced mobility. Diving, access to beaches and nature parks, boat trips, discovering the flora and fauna... As in mainland France, there are plenty of opportunities to discover the incredible scenery they have to offer!

Transport: how to get around

To get to your chosen destination

First of all, a bit of important information: if you need help or don't want to make the journey alone, there are travel assistance services for people with disabilities. Such is the case with Mon Copilote.

Taking the train in a wheelchair

Reduced fares for people with reduced mobility and their carers, booking assistance and station pick-up: the SNCF's offer has evolved considerably in recent years to provide better services for people with disabilities. Although some stations and certain types of train (particularly night trains) are still inaccessible to wheelchair users, it is still possible to travel by train in France today. To benefit from assistance, however, you need to book more than 48 hours in advance, and go to the dedicated reception desk at the station at least 30 minutes before the departure of your train.

To find out more about fares and how to apply for assistance, the SNCF provides a comprehensive guide for people with reduced mobility.

Taking the coach in a wheelchair

While public transport accessibility is a legal requirement, fitting out coaches represents a major challenge for companies. Coaches are not always accessible to people with reduced mobility, particularly when they are operated by private companies.

However, some companies, such as FlixBus, do offer accessible long-distance journeys, subject to certain conditions.

Flying in a wheelchair

The train remains the most practical solution for travelling in mainland France... But sometimes you need to take a plane to cover longer distances! The problem? When you're in a wheelchair, it can be a scary way to travel!

But don't worry: it's perfectly possible to use it, thanks to the dedicated services offered by airlines and the assistance available at airports, provided you plan your trip carefully. Here's an overview of the process you need to follow to travel with peace of mind by air:

At the time of booking

before booking your tickets, remember to contact the airlines' PRM services. This will enable you to tell them about your specific needs in terms of assistance and provide them with information about your equipment (type of wheelchair, dimensions, medical equipment, characteristics of your batteries if applicable, etc.). The contact details of these services are available on each airline's website; if you are unable to contact them beforehand, in most cases there is a ‘specific assistance needs’ box to tick when booking. The airline will then contact you to check that your needs have been taken into account. Please note: to benefit from assistance, you must book at least 48 hours in advance; depending on your constraints, the airline may require you to travel accompanied.

• Luggage: in Europe, airlines are obliged to carry your medical and mobility equipment (maximum of two pieces) free of charge.
•  Once you have booked your tickets, you will need to go to the airport's disability desk on the day of departure, at least two hours before your flight's departure time.
• The level of assistance then depends on your profile: in some cases, you will be asked to get into one of the airport wheelchairs as soon as you arrive. If you are in a manual wheelchair, you can ask for assistance to start at the boarding gate, provided that you have checked in beforehand at reception. In most cases, passengers with reduced mobility board first: don't delay going to the boarding gate once the procedures have been completed at reception.

Wheelchair transport: wheelchairs are transported in the hold. Although efforts have been made in this area in recent years, baggage handlers do not always handle the equipment gently. To limit the risks, we recommend that you: 

• 1. prefer direct flights and remain in your wheelchair as long as possible before departure (up to the boarding gate if possible, to limit handling by a third party), 
• 2. do not dismantle your manual wheelchair to limit the risk of breakage (in particular, keep the wheels attached to the frame) 
• 3. Ask the crew during the flight to return your wheelchair to you at the door of the plane if possible, and not at baggage claim, 
• 4. Carefully keep all your travel documents (booking confirmation, boarding card, etc.) so that you can make a complaint to the airline on arrival if necessary.

• On arrival: if you have booked assistance on departure, the destination airport will be informed by the airline of your assistance needs on arrival. Passengers with reduced mobility are often the last to get off the plane: allow a margin in your timetable if you make commitments on landing.

There have been many reports of equipment being damaged during flights, so there is still a great deal of progress to be made in terms of ensuring the peace of mind and care of passengers with reduced mobility. However, we would like to point out that in 4 years of travelling, including 7 months around the world, we have never had to make a complaint to an airline... Luck, perhaps, but it proves that good care is possible.

Getting around your holiday destination

Hire a car adapted to your disability

In France, conventional car hire companies offer few or no adapted car hire services. To find a vehicle that meets your needs, however, you can search on Wheeliz, a car hire site dedicated to people with disabilities.

Good to know: in France, public parking is free for people with reduced mobility, provided they have a mobility inclusion card (to be displayed prominently on the front of the vehicle so that it can be read from the outside). It should be noted that in some towns, additional registration is required to avoid parking fines in the event of an on-board automatic radar (this is particularly the case in Paris and Bordeaux).

Using special PRM transport

TPMR (transport services for people with reduced mobility on demand) are services set up by local authorities to provide accessible transport to make up for the lack of accessibility of normal public transport on a given route.

Formerly reserved for residents of the local authority, they have been opened up to non-residents (visiting travellers) by the Mobility Orientation Act, adopted on 19 November 2019 by the National Assembly. It is therefore theoretically possible to book accessible transport when travelling, provided you have an inclusion mobility card with a rate of over 80% or a 3rd category disability pension.

If this is not the case for you, or if the local authority is unable to meet your request, some companies, particularly in major cities, offer access to adapted vehicles. This is the case with Uber in several major cities, G7 taxis in the Île de France region (but beware: limited fleets, reservations required in the vast majority of cases, with long waiting times), Caocao, whose fleet is 100% accessible in Paris, and TL Access in Lyon, for example.

Using public transport

Each city has its own public transport offer... and its own specific accessibility requirements! While the majority of buses and trams are now accessible, metros can sometimes be more difficult to access (this is the case in Paris, for example, mainly because of its age). To find out if and how you can use public transport, we suggest you consult the website of the town hall of your destination or call the tourist office: they'll be able to give you all the information you need on a case-by-case basis.

Accommodation: book with peace of mind

Booking accommodation is often a source of stress and a time-consuming stage in planning your trip when you're in a wheelchair! There are several options to help you do this: 

General reservation websites (AirBnB, Booking.com, Gîtes de France...)

They provide access to a very wide range of accommodation, but the accessibility filters are often not very precise. If the photos speak for themselves and the accommodation has all the accessibility information, it can be very easy to book online. If this is not the case, the booking process may require a great deal of discussion with the host and take a considerable amount of time, or even result in some disappointment on arrival if the photos do not show the facilities available in the accommodation. 
 

Specialist booking solutions

You can access a list of accessible accommodation and contact details on the Tourisme et Handicap website.

In France, a solution has been created to help people find accommodation to suit their needs and constraints. The Toolib.fr website lists accommodation with facilities for people with disabilities: all you have to do is fill in your profile and the site will only suggest accommodation with the facilities you need, checked by an occupational therapist. 

Hotel chains

Although most hotel chains indicate that there is an accessible room in the place you are looking for, the description of the facilities rarely says much to a person with reduced mobility: if this is the case, we advise you to contact the hotel you are looking for directly by email or telephone to confirm that they have what you need. 

Home exchanges

It is possible to exchange your home if you are in a wheelchair, although there are not many available. In this article, APF France Handicap lists the sites that allow you to select an accessibility criterion in your search.

Visits, activities, restaurants... Make the most of your trip!

With all the resources listed in this article, you should already have a good idea of what you can easily do once you're there, depending on your needs and constraints. Between destination websites, search engines and blogs, the information is a little scattered, but it covers a wide range of places to visit.

If you can't find what you're looking for, or have any doubts about accessibility, our only advice is to call the place you're visiting directly, whether it's an accommodation, restaurant, activity or tourist site. There are as many disabilities as there are disabled people, and the accessibility of a place is not binary (yes or no for everyone, it depends on you: your equipment, your physical abilities, your desires too). The more specific you are in your requests, the more the person giving you information will be able to indicate the possibilities open to you.

Specialist travel agencies

There are many agencies that specialise or offer specialist services in organising trips for people with disabilities. Depending on your requirements, they can take care of everything from booking transport and accessible accommodation to, for some of them, hiring medical equipment on site. Here are a few examples (not an exhaustive list): - Yoola Voyage - Behandi - Adaptours - Comptoir des voyages

Travel escorts

If you don't want to go on your own but can't go with your family, you can hire a travel guide to travel with you! Each accompanier has their own way of working and their own services: the choice depends above all on the relationship of trust you can establish with the person. ANAÉ offers a list of escorts. 

Daily life: useful resources

Once the trip has been planned and you're on the ground, all that's left to do is enjoy yourself! Lpliz: an application that allows people with disabilities to ask for help from the community, geolocated around them: very useful if you're on your own if something goes wrong! - Handicap.fr: to locate nearby PRM parking spaces, - Où sont les toilettes? and Accessaloo, to locate the nearest PRM toilets.

Also worth reading:

Travelling in France with a disability