Travelling in France
on the train
Before planning your trip with SNCF, we recommend you consult our dedicated page: https://www.sncf.com/fr/offres-voyageurs/voyager-en-toute-situation/accessibilite
On most routes, special fares apply for people with disabilities and their companions. On TER routes, the ticket for companions is free.
Before departure: Passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility can enjoy a free escort service to their train seats and upon arrival. This service (Accès Plus) must be booked (by phone, internet or at SNCF counters and shops) at least 24 hours before the train’s departure (or 48 hours if a connecting TER train is included). A free meet and greet service is also available for TER trains and buses. Luggage can be delivered to your place of residence.
If you do not have a companion, you can access professional travel companions through the website www.compagnons.com created by SNCF and the RATP (Paris Transport Authority). In Paris and the Île-de-France region, the Andilien application offers a local companion service according to your location.
SNCF also offers an accompanied Domicile-train service from your place of residence to your final destination on TGV Inouy and Intercity trains for journeys of up to three hours (booking 14 days in advance for standard transport and 30 days in advance for transport for people with reduced mobility).
For passengers with reduced mobility (PMR), there are dedicated spaces on trains for travelling with a manual or electric wheelchair (with power outlet, tablet with grab bars, reading light, emergency button, “service” button and disabled toilet). 2nd class on Intercités trains and 1st class on TGV Inoui trains (2nd class fare plus 1st companion fare). TER and Ouigo lines are also accessible for passengers with reduced mobility (PMR), except for Ouigo Train classique. On TGV Inoui and TER trains the companion must be over 12 years old and on Ouigo trains 18 years old.
Communication services in subtitles, French sign language or supplementary French sign language are available for hearing impaired passengers on TER lines from Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 7pm (except public holidays) and from 8am to 8pm on weekends, TT (text-to-speech) only.
https://rogervoice.com/fr/about
We recommend that you check whether the station ticket counter is equipped with a hearing loop (represented by a pictogram), which can pick up and amplify the sound emanating from the source (agent) and filter out background noise.
For visually impaired passengers, guide or assistance dogs travel free of charge on all trains; they do not need to be muzzled, provided they are trained. Some stations are equipped with sound beacons designed to aid navigation; these can be activated using a universal remote control, but must be obtained in advance (from the municipality or association).
In addition, there are special facilities such as fall hazard warning strips and tactile guidance strips that can be detected with a white cane to help passengers navigate to essential services within the station. Some facilities also have raised relief and Braille information.
by bus
Some companies, such as Flixbus and some regional companies, have facilities for passengers with disabilities.
All Flixbus routes allow folded wheelchairs to be stored in the luggage compartment on certain routes (must be confirmed in advance). Wheelchair access is also available on some routes. Bookings must be made at least 36 hours before departure. Accompanying passengers travel free of charge.
Guide dogs and assistance dogs travel free of charge on all routes with reserved seats.
By Airplane
Passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) are entitled to assistance at the airport (booking must be made at least 48 hours in advance) and on board the aircraft.
Passengers with visual or hearing impairments can receive assistance when boarding and disembarking, and guide dogs are allowed on board the aircraft wearing a muzzle and harness.
People with intellectual disabilities need medical clearance to travel alone, and it is important to check whether unaccompanied travel is generally permitted.
Air France has a special guide and dedicated assistance service for passengers with disabilities: +33 (0)9 69 36 72 77 or [email protected].
Plan your stay
The website of the government-sponsored brand “Tourism & Handicap” provides, through an interactive map search engine, all the information you need to properly prepare your stay and find accommodation, restaurants and other dedicated services.
The platform features more than 4,000 French tourist destinations that are marked with the official “Tourism & Handicap” label, which certifies accessible facilities.
Additionally, eight regions comply with the “Destinations for All” label, promoting inclusive, extended stay tourism destinations.
You can also find more information about accessible places and activities on the websites of regional and provincial tourist boards and tourist offices.
Other useful websites include Anaé, which runs three holiday centres in France, and Bienvenue à la Ferme (Welcome to the Farm), which provides a search engine to find accommodation for travellers with visual, mental, hearing or mobility impairments.
Planning your visit
What can you do if you travel with a disability? Almost anything! Whether in the city, in the mountains or on the beach, you can discover cultural heritage, enjoy sports, take leisurely walks or enjoy a wide range of activities…
At the Beach
About 121 beaches and water bodies in France (including overseas territories) are labeled “Handiplage”. This label was created by an association that aims to accommodate all kinds of disabilities and is linked to the presence of several amenities, such as reserved parking spaces, water-adapted wheelchairs for physically impaired people (PRM), dedicated services (lifeguards and “Handiplage” staff), accessible toilets and showers, underwater sound systems for the visually impaired, etc. https://doc.sportsdenature.gouv.fr/doc_num.php?explnum_id=1058
Depending on the facilities’ equipment, people with disabilities can take part in activities such as underwater diving, land sailing (using “blokarts” adapted for PRM), sailing, canoeing, kayaking and water skiing. Handisurf, an association originally founded for children with autism, has opened 15 centers along the entire coastline and offers activities adapted to all types of disabilities. http://www.handi-surf.org/
In the mountains
Contrary to popular belief, alpine regions are accessible to people with disabilities, provided they are physically fit. People with mobility impairments (PRM) can enjoy a wide range of sports: off-road wheelchair descents, gentle and competitive hiking, paragliding, sledding and motorized jollettes, canyon descents and rafting. In France, around 100 ESF ski schools have been awarded the title “Handiski” https://www.esf.net/offres/discipline-handiski and welcome people with mental disabilities (autism and Down’s syndrome), visual impairments (with audio guidance) and physical disabilities. Adapted equipment is provided: seated skis, monoskis, bi-skis and piloted skis.
La Plagne stands out as a pilot resort in the effort to improve accessibility for tourists with physical and mental disabilities. There is a dedicated section on the tourist office website: https://www.la-plagne.com/decouvrir-la-plagne/activites-adaptees. Ski lessons are taught by five instructors versed in sign language and are accessible to physically disabled people (PRM) and deaf people. Special courses are also organised. Specialised equipment such as dual skis and “Go to ski” is available and the Olympic bobsleigh track is adapted for accessibility.
On the go or in town
Regional tourist offices’ websites list service providers and may even feature comprehensive activity programmes, such as Occitanie (https://www.tourisme-occitanie.com/ou-dormir/insolites-et-labels/tourisme-handicap/#Les%20Fabuleux%20Voyages), which proposes four dedicated “Great Journeys” that bring together activities and accessible places for people with reduced mobility, whether along the coast, in the mountains or in urban areas.
Toulouse https://www.toulouse-tourisme.com/toulouse-accessible and three cities in the Hérault department, Mauguio-Carnon, Balaruc-les-Bains and Colombier-Lespinan, have been certified as “destinations for all”, accessible for all four types of disabilities https://www.herault-tourisme.com/fr/handitourisme/destination-pour-tous/colombiers-lespignan-destination-pour-tous/.
In New Aquitaine, more than 1,300 service providers are certified to cater for travelers with disabilities https://www.nouvelle-aquitaine-tourisme.com/fr/infos-pratiques/voyager-en-situation-de-handicap. The Grande d’Ax metropolitan area has been certified a “destination for all” and Bordeaux also caters to people with mental and physical disabilities https://www.bordeaux-tourisme.com/bordeaux-accessible. In particular, the city has recently created two new guided tour circuits adapted for people with mobility, vision and hearing impairments.
Grand Est Contacts-Tourisme-et-Handicap-Grand_est.pdf introduces audio guides for the visually impaired in Troyes’ new stained-glass city and has been adopted by two festivals: the Clin d’œil festival in Reims, an international sign language arts festival organised by Ciné Sourd, and the Constellations festival in Metz, which provides “image whisperers” to explain maps of the cathedral to the visually impaired.
In the Hauts-de-France, Amiens has been designated a “destination for all” for the visually and mobility impaired. The city has a ring road of about 9 km that connects accessible sites and facilities (including the Jules Verne House and the Picardy Museum, which are adapted for all four types of disabilities) and offers bicycle transport. Dunkirk https://www.dunkerque-tourisme.fr/accessibilite/, another “destination for all”, offers accessible, on-demand and free transport, seaside resorts, adaptive activities and facilities, etc.
In Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, five tourist destinations (Aix-les-Bains, Clermont-Auvergne Métropole, Evian, Pralognan-La Vanoise and Valence-Roman Agrotourism) have signed the H+ Tourism Charter, referring to an inclusive approach (accessible accommodation, restaurants, activities and presence of references). New ones include barefoot walking at the Chaussal farm in Coponé, Haute-Savoie, for the visually impaired https://fermedechosal.org and a visit for the disabled to the Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu, with two sensory visit circuits for people with visual, hearing and mental disabilities https://www.abbaye-chaise-dieu.com/.
For comprehensive information on the conditions for visiting Paris for people with disabilities, the Ile-de-France lists the main points and adapted services (accommodation, restaurants, sites) in a very detailed section: https://www.parisinfo.com/visiter-a-paris/visiter-paris-avec-un-handicap
See also: for Brittany https://www.tourismebretagne.com/handi-tourisme-en-bretagne/, for Normandy https://www.normandie-tourisme.fr/sur-mesure/tourisme-handicap/, for Burgundy https://www.bourgogne-tourisme.com/sejourner/infos-pratiques/tourisme-et-handicap/ and for the Pays de la Loire https://tourisme-handicaps.org/wp-content/uploads/Contacts-Tourisme-et-Handicap-Pays-de-la-Loire.pdf
Check out the “Culture Relax” concept: around 100 theatres across France will host film screenings, concerts, operas and theatre performances for people with disabilities (autism, multiple disabilities, intellectual disabilities, cognitive disabilities, psychiatric disorders, Alzheimer’s disease).