Rolling Through Paris

I know some handicapped people literally climb mountains, compete in races and love the thrill of extreme sports…all on wheels. Those people will have a grand time in Paris. Due to chronic pain, I’m one not of those people. In the US, I lived in a very flat city, where everything was new, and handicapped parking, automatic doors, escalators and elevators were in abundance. My clunky, standard issue wheelchair worked fine in that environment, but felt more like a medieval torture devise on the streets of Paris. As my husband would push me over the stone streets, I was tossed about and could be heard moaning, groaning and at times shrieking. I felt like a broken rag doll with Tourette’s Syndrome. We started looking around to see what the disabled locals were using, but we saw very few people in wheelchairs, unless we were in the Louvre, or one of the large stores, like Printemps, and we noticed an absence of handicapped motor scooters. If you want to see all of Paris, the best thing you can bring along is a good pusher. The sidewalks are rarely smooth, in fact, frequently made of brick or stone, and the streets can be hilly. Even the new ramps can have slight curbs to them so a scooter or motorized chair would be difficult without assistance. A sports chair would be ideal, but they aren’t always portable. Many of the buildings are being restored and the scaffolding on the sidewalks will force you into the street, where you’ll discover the law requiring people to clean up after their dogs isn’t being observed, so be careful where you wheel and—at the same time—watch out for those famous Paris drivers. That said, a cup of coffee at sunset in a small street side café overlooking the scenery after finding that perfect little shop or museum makes the extra adventure worthwhile. If you’re coming as a tourist, take a taxi whenever possible. We’ve always had great experiences with them. I’ve never used the Métro because of the stairs, although we sometimes travel by train. If you’re driving, and you’re looking for parking, look for the blue signs with a capital “P” that have handicapped signs on them. However, even some of these have stairs leading to the elevator and in some, the space is too tight to navigate the chair into the hallway to get to the elevator. Fortunately, I am able to walk short distances and my husband frequently has to fold the chair in half to squeeze through these spaces. If you park in one of the underground garages, don’t even bother to get out of your car until your companion checks everything, including making sure the elevator is working, and that it goes to the street level. We’ve lived here a year, and some of the elevators that were broken when we arrived are still out of order. If possible, being dropped off in front of your destination can be a safer bet, while a companion parks the car. There are stairs everywhere, but there’s a surprising number of people that smile and automatically come to help carry people in wheelchairs up and downstairs. Many times, when my husband carries me up, people behind us pick up the chair and carry it behind us. We don’t get as much help as we did a year ago, but I think that’s because a year ago we looked completely overwhelmed. This is apparently a universal look, and I’m reminded of Blanche DeBois, (from ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’), who “always depended on the kindness of strangers!” If you’re using a cane or walker, the streets have many benches and cafés to sit and rest. I’ve also seen tourists using the specialty cane that has a fold-out seat, although you’ll usually be pulled to the front of any line. You might consider a cane that has a flask inside… for medicinal purposes, of course! The “street chair” we finally chose was lightweight and foldable for transport and has removable, inflatable tires that ease the bumps and bruises of the uneven streets. I carry a tire patch kit in my purse. The chair is scaled down in size to fit through tight spaces. With my old chair, we would sometimes remove the foot rests if we couldn’t manage a tight turn. This makes a huge difference, when managing tight turns. If you’d like to see a collection of gorgeous, high quality canes while in Paris, you won’t want to miss Madeleine Gely, at 218, Bld. St Germain, in the 7th. (Tel from the US 011-33-1-42-22-63-35). It’s a closet size store founded in 1834, and the prices are very high, but the canes and umbrellas are works of art. In true Parisian style, it’s not accessible in a wheelchair, but the woman working there was obviously well experienced in assisting someone inside, where you will find a stool on which to sit. I admired an antique cane made of ebony, with a sterling handle that had a cupid horn player and flowers engraved on the handle. When I win the lottery I’ll be going back for it. They are open from 9:30 – 7:00 pm and are closed on Mondays. A store with practical medical equipment is Le Materiel Para-Médical, at 1 rue Danton in the 6th. (Tel: from the US 011-33-1-43-26-43-45). BP’s Chuck gave me the name of this establishment (see “Individuals With Disabilities in Paris” under the subject of Sightseeing, Hotels and Shopping, on the BP Discussion Boards). I found a great selection of wheelchair pillows. I bought my new wheelchair here. They also rent wheelchairs, but the day we were there the people assisting us did not speak English. I also bought a metal cane that has a plaid tartan design on it. Leave it to the French to know how to accessorize! Remember that most pharmacies are closed for lunch, at nighttime, and on Sundays. You can usually find canes of the same quality as the ones in US drug stores, as well as cane tips. If you’re walking with a cane, put good cushions in your walking shoes, and a new tip on your cane to ease the burden of the uneven sidewalks. An aside: my French hair stylist in the US always brought back boxes of little vials she swore were the best treatment for her aching legs. After…