Over twenty years ago, I spent a few days in Paris and saw the typical highlights (Louvre, Versailles Palace, Eiffel Tower). Now 72 and needing two canes to walk long distances, I decided to visit again for a week, by myself, to see the museums I had missed.
But museums like the d’Orsay and Centre Pompidou can involve a lot of walking. So, I did some research on the internet and discovered an agency in Paris that provides free assistance for people with motor or hearing disabilities.
Action Passeraile is an especially useful resource that many people, even Paris residents, may not know about. Their website description (translated from French):
“Action Passeraile is a non-profit organization created in 2003 and offers individual, on-demand and free accompaniments in Paris to people with motor or visual disabilities. It also carries out disability awareness campaigns for companies, administrations and the general public.”
Action Passeraile
75 rue Claude Decaen, 75012 Paris
Phone: 01 43 41 70 67
http://www.action-passeraile.fr
Facebook : Action Passeraile
Email: [email protected]
The assistants will accompany people with mobility or hearing problems to practically any venue, such as just going to a park to get out, for shopping, or to go a movie, concert, museum, etc. If I had tried to see the museums by myself, I doubt I could have done half as much during the week I was there or would have collapsed from too much walking!
I contacted the agency by email several months before my trip and described my situation and plans. They asked for a schedule of what I wanted to do, which in my case was visiting a museum or two between about noon and 5 pm nearly every day. About a week before I arrived, they sent me a confirmation of the names of the assistants for each day who would accompany me and run the wheelchairs loaned by the museums.
Many Paris museums have wheelchairs to loan. Generally, you cannot reserve them but I had no problem just showing up. You typically get the wheelchair at the desk where you check bags. You leave an ID --- my drivers license worked just fine --- which you get back when you return the wheelchair.
The assistants met me each day at my hotel, then we would take a taxi to the destination. In the museum, the assistant pushed me in the loaner wheelchair. We would usually have a break for lunch or snack. The assistant would then accompany me back to the hotel by taxi.
The assistants are typically in their 20s and most are volunteers. I paid for the taxi, lunch and other expenses, but the assistants don't accept any gratuity. Their transportation costs (some lived in the suburbs) are paid by the agency. These excursions were, I think, helpful to the assistants, too, because some had never been to the museums we visited even though they live in or near Paris. They were are all friendly, punctual, and especially helpful, too, in handling situations in French.
It is a marvelous service and I highly recommend anyone, whether a visitor or a Paris resident, to contact Action Passeraile for assistance.