O/T Paris

[commecicommeca]

I'm a college student and am thinking about doing a semester at the Unversite Paris IX Dauphine next year and I wanted to know if anyone here has traveled to Paris and can comment on the city's accessibility? I currently go to school in NYC and I have a CP and use a scooter (ECV) to get around campus but I also have crutches. I can walk about 3 city blocks and do a few well placed steps (no more than 5 small ones w/ hand rail) given good weather conditions. What kind of accessible transportation options are there in Paris? I would really like to study in Paris but I am so afraid of it being unaccessible and don't have the money to go just to check it out. Also how does Paris's Disney World compare to the one in FL in terms of accessibility?

 

[SueM in MN]

I've never been to Paris, but we had a French high school foreign axchange student about 5 years ago whose family loved about 50km south of Paris. She was surprised how accessible things were here for our DD and she said it would be difficult for us to travel with her and her wheelchair in France.
I can copy your question to her and send it by email. She may not answer right away because she is studying for exams, but I'll see what I can find out.

 

[PigSoldier]

I can't help with Paris, but I can tell you about DLP,

Because its a newer park, DLP is far better designed and equiped for wheelchairs. Its been a while since we went to DLP with a wheelchair, so its hard for me to remember all the details, but we were able to go on all the rides (except for the Swiss Family Treehouse, for obvious reasons). Everything is very accessible, you can tell the park was designed with wheelchairs in mind. DLP also has a policy where all wheelchairs are taken to the front of the queue, normaly through the exit. I've heard that in busy times, the rest of your party must queue up seperately, while you wait inside, but I never experienced this, and I went in June.
I have a website somewhere all about DLP for people with disabilities, I'll try and find it for you.

I hope that was some help, and good luck with studying in Paris

 

[teri]

I am sorry to say that I cannot imagine being a tourist in Paris in a wheelchair, unless you have very strong traveling companions who can assist you with the high curbs, many steps, cobblestone streets... but then I haven't been there in 11 years, things may have changed.

 

[SueM in MN]

I said it might be a while before Amelie replied back to me, and I was right. Here is finally is:
"Sue,
I'm sorry for answering you so late.
About the disable student who wants to study in paris, I would tell her, good luck. Buses and metro are not all prepared for disabled persons. I know it's a shame and it's the same for train.Many people are blaming about this because everywhere in france it's the same problem. Nothing is ready to welcome disabled people.What she could do is going on the university web'site, so she could see and maybe ask for more informations.I guess the university is ready to welcome disabled people but not the city.
Hope she will find a solution.
Bye, Love
Amélie"
Sorry that I don't have better news, but at least it's accurate.