How the unaccessible facilities of Paris, made it nearly impossible for people on wheelchairs to enjoy the city.
On one cold Parisian evening, I was getting worried about my upcoming foot surgery, after which, if something went wrong, there was a chance that I would loose the ability to walk. To calm myself down, I’ve decided to go for a walk in the night city. As I was walking along the narrow, cobble streets of the “City of Lights”, passing by the bank of the Seine river, I couldn’t help but think, how one of the most visited cities in the world is unequipped for handicap visitors or residence. Reflecting on that idea, I’ve decided to find out what’s it like to be on a wheelchair in Paris, from a young man, who does struggle with the narrow, cobbled streets that we all adore.
On a sunny, but cold Sunday morning, I’ve met with my good friend, François, for a hot cup of coffee and an interview in a cosy caffe in the 15th arrondissement of Paris. He broke his back in a skiing accident at the age of 17 and since then, he spends his life on a wheelchair “I sustained a spinal cord injury while skiing in 2013. It has left me partially paralysed from the L1 vertebrae down (belly button). The correct term would be paraplegic.”. We talked a lot about how he learned how to live on his own and how, instead of using public transportation, he drives his car. Living in Brittany, he finds that there a lot of places not adapted for people with disabilities, however he never found such a struggle, as when he comes to Paris.
Almost 90% of Parisian building are handicap unfriendly. Unfortunately the issue does not end there, when it comes to transportation, there is only 3 metro lines that are wheelchair accessible in Paris, therefore people on wheelchairs have to use taxis to get around the city. Most taxis in Paris cannot take in passengers, who are on wheelchairs. There is still a possibility for paraplegic people “I can get myself out of the wheelchair and into the car, by using my hands. You do get used to it after a while.”, however, it’s an absolutely different story for people with quadriplegia. The Parisian taxi drivers are not willing to put any effort in helping a quadriplegic person into the car, “Most taxis in most cities cannot take a passenger who is still sitting in a wheelchair. That means you can only use them if you are physically able to be assisted into the car and set on a regular seat.”, a comment made by Peter Apps in his article on City Metric.
One other issue is about the entertainment. How many clubs or bars have you seen that have an elevator, or at least an adapted entrance for wheelchairs? “I like enjoying my time by going out to bars or clubs with friends, but it’s a bit annoying that it can’t be spontaneous, since I first have to find out if the place will be accessible for me or not. Most of the Parisian clubs are far from being accessible and I don’t have many options to choose from, if I want to spend a good evening.”, says François.
The accessibility of cities is an extremely important topic that is currently being neglected by the media and therefore the government. Even though Paris is trying to accommodate people on wheelchairs, it still has a long way to go to actually be welcoming for those people. If we continue closing our eyes on this situation, people with disabilities will continue to feel marginalised from the rest of the society.
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