Ever since I watched Ratatouille, I’ve always dreamed of visiting Paris! The food looked amazing and the city looked charming. The real deal certainly did not disappoint! My family and I went on a 10-day European adventure with 3 days in London and 6 days in France. Don’t miss out on reading about my experiences in London blog! Buckle up, because there’s even more to share about France!
We traveled from London to Paris via the Eurostar train. To our delight, my mom and I were upgraded to Business Premier for free because it is the only place with room for a wheelchair. Dad decided we all needed to experience the luxury, so he upgraded himself and Lucas, too! The Business Premier class came with a 3-course meal, along with complimentary drinks that you can ask for at any time. Though the champagne was tempting, I had to pass! The staff was very accommodating too, they escorted us through the lines for customs and ensured that a ramp was ready for boarding. Plus, the bathroom on the train was accessible, allowing my wheelchair to turn. In my opinion, it is very nice!
We arrived at Gare du Nord, which marked the beginning of our accessibility escapades. We managed to avoid the Tube in London, but Dad was keen to test the Parisian Metro. Securing an accessible taxi in Paris isn’t as easy as in London, where black cabs could be found everywhere. It requires advance booking. He also just didn’t want to spend the money. It took approaching four Metro employees and police officers before we found the right people to assist us. For wheelchair users wishing to navigate the metro, it can be fairly complicated. The station staff must contact EVERY station where you must get off, either to transfer or exit to the street level. This ensures an employee is present at each stop with a ramp to let you off. Fortunately, our ride was direct, without the need for transfers. Arranging it, however, still involved several calls and over 20 minutes of coordination for a two-stop ride. It was nerve-wracking. I couldn’t stop wondering whether someone would actually be awaiting our arrival with a ramp as promised. We eventually reached our destination, but given the experience, the Parisian Metro was a big NO for me. The anxiety wasn’t worth it.
Once we were on the streets of Paris, our first stop was the iconic Eiffel Tower! All I can say is that it is TALL! I knew it would be, but seeing it in person, I was awe-struck. We then walked to Le Bosquet – our first meal in France! The highlight of that meal was a DELICIOUS steak that melted in your mouth and our first taste of escargot! Later, we embarked on a Seine River boat tour, which wasn’t quite what I hoped for. The accessible section is inside, in the middle of the boat, with a limited view. Basically, all I saw were walls. Passengers could get prime views a few steps down, as they had access to the outside edges of the boat. If you can manage the steps, it might be worth it. Otherwise, I’d suggest exploring other options. Right before we headed back to the hotel, we got to see the Eiffel Tower light up! It was a wonderful way to end the day. Quick tip; the Eiffel Tower lights up at 7:00 PM and sparkles at the beginning of every hour for 5 minutes until 11:45. Do note that the tower’s illumination and sparkle schedule can vary depending on the season and special occasions, so it’s always a good idea to check the official website or other reliable sources if you want to know the exact timings during your visit.
Our first full day in Paris started with pastries from a boulangerie! We explored Luxembourg Garden and then treated ourselves to chocolates and macarons. When we travel, it’s all about food and you can’t go to France without taste-testing through the city. After finishing our delicious snack, we headed to a croissant-making class, which Mom booked through Airbnb Experiences! Even though we were told the space was accessible, we arrived to find a small curb blocking the way to the entrance. Luckily our helpful wedges got us through. The kitchen was cute and we spent 3 hours making croissants and pain au chocolats with others! It was really fun and the final result was scrumptious! View their AirBnb experience website.
The next day, we would be doing a completely accessible French Revolution Walking Tour (or in my case, rolling) and visiting the famed Saint Chapelle! In the morning, we enjoyed the leftover pastries from our class and explored more of the city. We then met up with our tour guide right in front of the Louvre Palace. He led us through various locations while narrating captivating stories that added depth to our understanding of France’s rich (and brutal) history. Learning the history of France was fascinating and intriguing, I definitely recommend it! Here’s his website.
After that, we got a quick lunch and headed towards Saint Chapelle. They have elevators to the second floor, where the stained glass windows are. When we entered, I was amazed! The stained glass was so intricate, and they survived for this long. They also had a gift shop, that’s where we got a stained glass suncatcher. It was still really cool to see! For dinner, I tried my very first beef tartare. Even though the texture was a little weird, it tasted delicious!
The next day’s itinerary was centered around one of France’s most famous attractions – art! We visited the world-renowned Louvre Museum and were amazed to see the magnificent glass pyramids. We didn’t have to wait in the long queue and were taken to a cool lift to take us downstairs to the museum lobby. One fascinating aspect of the Louvre is that its audio guides are in the form of Nintendo 3Ds. I highly recommend them. With our guides in our hands, we headed towards the famous Mona Lisa! Admittedly, the painting’s size left us somewhat underwhelmed, but the intricate details were undeniably impressive. We were astonished to learn that it was not even complete. I got the privilege of a closer view by rolling in front of the sectioned-off area with Mom!
Another notable painting was The Wedding Feast Of Cana. I say this because it’s HUGE! Our visit to the Louvre was quite accessible, and even in areas I couldn’t physically reach, I could still appreciate the art through the 3D view feature on the audio guide. Additionally, we also visited the Musee d‘Orsay, where, akin to our Louvre experience, we were able to bypass the queues and enjoy the artistic treasures on display. Although we did not explore the entire museum, I can still confidently say it was accessible!
Paris can be relatively accessible with careful planning. To get around the city, we used the public bus system, which was completely accessible. Google Maps has a feature that shows us the bus routes to our destination with a filter for wheelchair-accessible routes! Once again the wedges were really helpful, especially to get into the croissant-making class. Here are the wedges that I used. Remember, with careful planning and determination, anything is possible! I hope this has helped you plan your own accessible Paris adventure!
Adventure Made Accessible 
Son, great summary of our trip! Happy to see your determination shine through.
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