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Top 4 Wheelchair Accessible Things to do in Paris

We recently went on a short break to Paris which consisted of three nights and two full days of sightseeing, eating and relaxing in our beautiful hotel. Instead of boring you all with a step by step of everything we did in great detail, I thought I’d briefly touch on some of the things we did and share my thoughts on our top 4 wheelchair accessible things to do in Paris.

#1: Another Paris Tourist Train

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris another paris train tour

Another Paris offers fantastic wheelchair accessible train tours around the city. Wheelchair users will access the train via a ramp at the back of the carriage.

The little blue train runs five unique routes that will take you to different areas. So whatever your preference you’re bound to find one that interests you.

We chose the Academic route, which took us around the Latin Quarter covering 45 points of interests including Pantheon, Musée Cluny, Luxembourg Palace and Luxembourg Garden, Paris Observatory and Notre-Dame Cathedral to name a few.

Each route is a fun, unique and educational way of seeing the top attractions in Paris while seeing the little side streets of the city that you’d probably never see otherwise.

I’d highly recommend a tour on Another Paris little blue train over coach or hop-on/hop-off bus tours. Adult tickets cost €13, which is very reasonable for the 1hr 15-minute tour.

#2: Montparnasse Tower

 wheelchair-accessible-things-to-do-in-paris-Montparnasse-Tower.jpg 7th June 2016 291 kB 1200 × 698 Edit Image Delete Permanently URL https://www.simplyemma.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/wheelchair-accessible-things-to-do-in-paris-Montparnasse-Tower

If you’re looking for the best view of Paris, look no further than the Montparnasse Tower. The building itself is not very attractive to look at, but that really doesn’t matter once inside as it truly offers the best view of Paris day and night.

Montparnasse Tower is wheelchair accessible, but the lift will only take you to the 56th floor to the Observation Deck. Access to the terrace is only accessible by climbing the 3 floors to the 59th floor and is outdoors so it can be very cold.

The observation deck has a café, gift shop and toilets so it’s all you need to enjoy the stunning 360° panoramic views of Paris through the large windows around the whole 56th floor in the warm comfort of being indoors.

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris Montparnasse Tower view

Everyone wants to visit the top of the Eiffel Tower when they are in Paris, but once you are inside you don’t actually get any views of the Eiffel Tower.

Montparnasse Tower does just that – amazing views of the Eiffel Tower in all its glory and if that still hasn’t convinced you to visit yet, you’ll also enjoy how quiet the Montparnasse Tower is as there are significantly fewer crowds and queuing time. 

We didn’t have to queue at all as there were only another two people arriving at the same time as us and around 20 people at the top of the observation deck. An adult ticket costs €15 and €7.50 for disabled.

#3: Louvre Museum

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris the louvre museum

A trip to Paris wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the Louvre Museum which is home to the world-famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci.

When we arrived at the glass pyramid to enter the Louvre we were informed that the lift was out of order, but we were guided to another accessible entrance via The Carrousel du Louvre (a large underground shopping mall).

We become very confused going in this way and many times convinced ourselves we were in the wrong building as we back-tracked or went around in circles. It was like a maze. We eventually found our way and entered the Louvre.

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris the louvre museum mona lisa

There are many wheelchair lifts (some of which are operated only by staff) to take you to the various levels throughout the building and its galleries.

The Louvre Museum is wheelchair accessible and disabled visitors and their companion will receive free admission. Brace yourself for large crowds especially around the Mona Lisa display (as you can see in the image above).

However, wheelchair users can enjoy an undisturbed view directly in front of the Mona Lisa in a section specifically for wheelchair users.

#4: Parks & Gardens  

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris luxembourg-palace
Luxembourg Palace

Take some time out from sightseeing and shopping to enjoy some of the many beautiful gardens Paris has to offer.

Luxembourg Garden (Jardin du Luxembourg) and Tuileries Garden (Jardin des Tuileries) were the two that we spent some time in during our recent trip to the City of Light.

Both gardens are wheelchair accessible with lots of seating areas throughout to rest, enjoy a picnic or just sit and watch the world go by while admiring all the beautiful trees and flowers.

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris luxembourg-garden
I loved these beautiful tulips in Luxembourg Garden

That’s not all though. Why not explore or take a guided tour of the Luxembourg Palace, which has a long history including being home to the Royal Family, a prison and now office to Senators. Luxembourg Palace is also wheelchair accessible with lifts and accessible toilets.

wheelchair accessible things to do in paris Tuileries Garden
Tuileries Garden

Tuileries Garden is situated between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde – perfect for relaxing after a long day of touring the world’s largest museum, the Louvre. Relaxation is well-deserved as it’s hard work exploring the galleries for the famous Mona Lisa and other great art exhibits, but equally a must-see.

So there you have it, my top 4 wheelchair accessible things to do in Paris. I’d highly recommend you add some of these, or all, to your Paris itinerary if you are looking for great wheelchair accessible attractions.

What are your top wheelchair accessible things to do in Paris?

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Meet Emma

Meet Emma

Hello I’m Emma. My mission is to show you the possibilities of accessible travel through my travel guides, tips and reviews. I also share personal stories, live event reviews and more.

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26 Responses

  1. This article was really helpful,thank you .I would also recommend Musee d’Irsay I believe we got free admittance

    1. Hi Rachel! So glad my tips have helped for your upcoming trip to Paris. How long are you going for and what sort of things do you have planned? I’d highly recommend Another Paris train tour, it was great! I hope you have a brilliant time. Please let me know how you get on – I’d love to hear 🙂

  2. Thank you! My family and I are traveling from California to Paris for 3 days, then off to London and Edinburgh. As of right now, we have 1 full day of sightseeing in the city, then 1 full day at Disneyland Paris! Trying to soak up all the info you’ve provided in your blog posts so far :). Do you have any suggestions for accessible dining in Paris? I’m a bit worried about all their tiny cafes.. Or any tips for the UK would be great too! Thanks again! -Rachel

    1. Your trip sounds amazing! How many days will you have in London and Edinburgh? We were only in Paris for 3 nights so we didn’t get a chance to eat in many different restaurants unfortunately. Our first night we had dinner in our hotel, then we eat at a restaurant called Hippopotamus a few times, which was very good. We eat at a few other nice restaurants (I can’t remember names – I’m sorry), but as they were quite small, we ended up sitting outside if we noticed there was a table at the side which wasn’t too crammed. Most restaurants have heat lamps which makes dining outside quite pleasant. You’ll definitely find somewhere no problems 🙂 What are your plans for London and Edinburgh?

      1. Yes! Cafes with outdoor tables are exactly what I’ve been searching for on yelp. We will be in London for 5 nights and Edinburgh for 4. As for London, we don’t have much planned yet, other than sightseeing. The Tower Bridge, Tate Modern, etc. Possibly planning a day trip to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour as we are all majorly obsessed with Harry Potter. In Edinburgh, we are planning on a day tour to the highlands, but nothing planned yet for the city. Do you have any favorites in Edinburgh? Restaurants, coffee shops, museums, etc.?

        1. Excellent! You’re going to have an amazing time I’m sure of it! I’ve heard so many great things about the Warner Bros. Studio Tour. The Highlands are beautiful – I hope you have a great time doing that? Have you got a tour company sorted for that? I’m planning on putting more content on Edinburgh on the blog as I don’t have much on it yet. National Museum of Scotland is a great museum to visit. Are you thinking about doing a city bus tour or anything like that? I blogged about my experience trying the Edinburgh trams for the first time. Not sure if you’re planning on using them, but it might be handy if you do 🙂

          https://www.simplyemma.co.uk/experiencing-edinburgh-trams-for-the-first-time-as-a-wheelchair-user/

          I noticed you blog too – awesome! I look forward to reading more. Is it California you are from? I’ve been to LA and San Francisco – loved it 🙂

          1. Yes, thank you! I did check out that blog post. Not sure if we’ll be using the tram but I’ll keep that in mind! Will definitely be visiting the National Museum of Scotland. Edinburgh sounds so magical that we will most likely explore the city without much of an itinerary. And yes, we do have a tour for the highlands sorted out.. probably the only concrete plan as of right now haha. We’re off in about 3 weeks and I can’t wait!

            Yes! I live halfway between LA and San Diego, about an hour’s drive south from LA. I’m glad to hear that you loved San Francisco, those hills can be a huge pain some times!

  3. Hi. Can you please advice on which hotel you stayed in? Thank you so much for giving such great ideas on what to do whilst in Paris x

    1. Hi Temi! That’s great. I’m really happy you found this helpful. Have a fantastic time when you go to Paris and let me know how you get on please 🙂

  4. Hi Emma, I’m off to Paris soon I use a wheelchair too, I’m 24, I really appreciate your recommendations I will definitely visit the gardens, the louvre and the tower! Thanks 🙂

    1. Hi Hannah! Thanks so much for your comment. I’m really pleased you enjoyed my recommendations for things to do in Paris. I’m sure you will have a fabulous time when you go to Paris. It’s beautiful. Please let me know how you get on as I’d love to hear what you get up to 🙂

  5. When I went to Paris a few years ago I visited the Palace of Versailles which was incredible. The size and beauty of it are amazing. It’s about 20 miles from Paris and you have to go on the Train to get there but I think it’s well worth it.

  6. My wife uses a wheelchair and my daughter uses a walker. Should I look for a private tour or just the wheelchair lifts etc when touring the Louvre. The Eiffel Tower or a Seine cruise don’t appear to be a problem. Also, we like to stroll the older sections with cafes and patios, we are never in a hurry. Can you recommend an area. We only have 4 days so maybe a city tour by van is best. We arrive August 10th and can use all the help we can get. Our 14 yr old grand daughter will be with us as well. Thank you

    1. Hi John. Thank you for your comment and I’m glad to hear you are planning a trip to Paris. I’m sure you will have a lovely time.

      In regards to a private tour of the Louvre – I would say it’s completely down to your own preference. If you like to take your time and go at your own pace, a take your time seeing everything then I definitely recommend doing it yourself.

      I highly recommend the Another Paris tourist train – the woman is lovely and it’s fun and interesting. It will also give you an idea of different areas you might want to explore yourselves.

      Please let me know how you get on? I’d love to hear from you 🙂

  7. Hi Emma
    My wife and I are going to Paris in a couple of weeks and after reading your page I’ve emailed the little blue train asking if they could reserve me a place on one of their tours as I’m a wheelchair user. Yesterday I received an email saying that they have reserved an area for me and my wife on the day and time requested.
    Thanks for advertising the little blue train on your information page and brining it to our attention.

    Best wishes Jon.

    1. Hi Jon. Thank you so much for your lovely comment. I am thrilled you have decided to book the little blue train. I’m sure you will love it. Do you know what route you will be going on?

      Please let me know how you get on in Paris and your thoughts on the tour when you are home. I’d love to hear all about it.

      Thank you again for getting in touch and have a fantastic time in Paris. 🙂

  8. Hi Emma,

    My husband turns 40 next year and I want to take him to Paris for his birthday in November. Can you recommend any accessible hotels, he is fully wheelchair dependent, cannot transfer out at all.

  9. Hi Emma,

    my girlfriend had some health problems recently and she’s now using wheelchair. To be honest I’m a bit terrified about our trip to Paris on 23rd Jan. I’ll follow your advise and I hope we have a lovely time.

    I’ll let you know how it went.

    cheers,

    Kamil

    1. Hi Kamil. Thank you for your comment. How did your trip to Paris go? I hope it all went smoothly and you both had a great time?

      1. Hiya!We loved Paris!it’s just like Edinburgh…but a lot bigger. We tried all your tips and worked out perfect. I liked the idea of letting wheelchair users skip the queues to Louvre, then we got just in front of Mona Lisa, we also had a ‘secret tour’ through Louvre to get to Venus de Milo, we jumped in a separate lift to get to 56th floor of Montparnasse Tower, Another Train made us feel even better and we were the only people driving in Paris. All pavements have got lower slides for wheelchairs and it all looks wheelchair friendly. Although RER B is ok to use, but Metro has got no accessible ramps. Thanks for help!!!

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