Paris is famous for its cute narrow streets, winding little hotel rooms, tiny restaurants and lots, lots of cobblestones. Romantic, but not at all practical. Many people with disabilities become the Paralympic Games faced with logistical challenges. And this despite the fact that some improvements in accessibility have already been noticed in the French metropolis.
According to the city of Paris, over 125 million euros were invested in the sustainability of the Olympic Games and Paralympics. Part of this budget, around 50 million euros, went into optimizing the city’s accessibility. Ten million euros were spent on removing barriers in six central sports venues. Various city districts, public buildings, above-ground public transport and even schools were made more accessible for people with various disabilities. According to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), this includes orientation aids such as grooved floor markings and the installation of 10,400 acoustic modules at intersections for people with visual impairments and the renovation of 17 kilometers of sidewalk.
Andrew Parsons, President of the IPC, called the French progress at the opening ceremony of the games even as a “revolution of inclusion”.
According to the city of Paris, in preparation for the games, the more than 5,000 volunteers were required to undergo mindfulness training for disabilities. During the sporting event, more than 260 employees will also be looking after various concerns of people with disabilities. These aspects were published in a list of ten “outstanding” points that are intended to serve as a legacy of the Paralympics for the French capital.
Billion-dollar Metro project
The city of Paris has been striving for greater inclusion for some time. In addition to the material legacy of the Paralympic Games, such as the accessibility of all newly built public buildings, the focus was also on an intangible legacy. The planned establishment of 40 new para-sports departments in Parisian sports clubs is intended to make access to sport easier for people with disabilities in the long term.
And then there is the famous Paris Metro. The first line was opened in 1900. A historical masterpiece – but one that can hardly be associated with accessibility. At the moment, according to the Paris transport company, only 29 of the more than 300 metro stations are wheelchair accessible. Line 14, which was the last to be added to the rail network in 1998, is a pioneer in this area and is completely wheelchair accessible. Elevators, automatic announcements and wide corridors make it possible for people with almost any type of disability to use the system. The express trains RER A and B are following this example.
A few days ago, the president of the capital region Île-de-France, which is responsible for local transport, Valérie Pécresse, presented a plan for a “metro for all”. The costs are estimated at 15 to 20 billion euros, which are to be shared between the region, city and state.
However, it is far from certain whether the city will be able to offer a barrier-free metro at all. “Only partial accessibility at a handful of stations can be considered, but the work is not only disproportionately expensive financially, but will also take between seven and ten years per line and would have a huge impact on general daily traffic,” said a recent analysis by the Paris public transport company (IDFM), quoted in the newspaper “Les Échos”.
In order to avoid having to use the metro for people in wheelchairs, but also for parents with strollers, the city of Paris is focusing primarily on the accessibility of above-ground transport. The Paris tram is completely accessible; according to the city of Paris, 68 percent of bus stops are accessible. During the Paralympics, shuttle buses can also be used to remain mobile between the competition venues and various train stations.
I know such situations from my everyday life, but this is the Paralympics – I would not have expected such problems.
The former para-swimmer and wheelchair user Kirsten Bruhn about accessibility in Paris
Three-time Paralympic swimming champion Kirsten Bruhn is not convinced about the accessibility in Paris. The wheelchair user told Sportschau that she was familiar with obstacles and a lack of accessibility from her everyday life. “But this is the Paralympics – I would not have expected such problems.” For the former athlete, it feels like an “off-road training camp.”
Silver medalist Niko Kappel also noticed that “Paris, with its very old structures, is not barrier-free everywhere,” the small-statured shot putter told the German Press Agency: “But I don’t want to criticize Paris at all. That’s important to me. I’m not a fan of saying that there are steps everywhere here and there.”
The Paralympics were a necessary stimulus for the French capital – and an incentive. The city’s goal for 2025 is that 91 percent of all public facilities, including train stations, should be barrier-free.
But the promise of accessibility is not always enough – the organization must be well thought out. Heidemarie Dresing, who was a para-rider in Versailles and lives with multiple sclerosis, talks about a visit to the Paralympic Village in Paris. When she arrived, the golf carts that are supposed to serve as shuttle buses in the village were nowhere to be found. “I had to walk with my walking sticks, which is a huge effort for me.”
At some point, Dresing couldn’t go on anymore and sat in a staff member’s chair while her team doctor tried to find an electronic wheelchair for her. Once she found it, she was able to drive a full 150 meters before she was told to put it down again. She was then pushed the rest of the way in a normal wheelchair. The problem: Dresing didn’t have a wheelchair and you couldn’t borrow one there either. “I did three kilometers that day. Then you just grit your teeth.”
Her conclusion: It’s a beautiful place, but there’s still a lot to complain about. “There’s definitely still room for improvement,” she says.
To enjoy a visit to the city of love, good preparation is key. According to the city of Paris, over 185,000 people with physical disabilities live in the French capital. In addition to residents, tourists are often affected by the lack of accessibility.
Various apps and websites help you find accessible hotels, metro stations, leisure activities and restaurants. These include the website of the Paris Tourist Office and “parisjetaime”, which rates over 500 hotels according to their accessibility and also shares rules for guide dogs. In addition, there is the label “Tourisme & Handicap à Paris”, which lists suitable accommodations for people with walking, visual and hearing impairments as well as mental disabilities.
The awarding of the Olympic and Paralympic Games to Paris has led to an increased focus on accessibility in the city – and a lot has already been done. However, the French capital will have to be judged by the question of whether this change in thinking will last even far away from the world stage.
