France - Best Paris location for physically challenged & which hotel group?

We have enough points with SPG, Marriott & PC for 3 to 4 night stays each. We're planning to spend 6 or 7 nights in Paris & then take the train south to Aix & Marseilles for a few more days. Would not like to change hotels, in Paris, more than once. So, maybe 3/4 nights in a Marriott & then 3/4 nights in a PC or SPG.

What area of Paris would allow us to see the most top tourist sites with the least amount of walking? Or are the top sites so spread out (we can use the subway & taxis) that there is no good answer? :) Of the three hotel groups above would one be a clear winner? We don't need luxury but won't scoff at it either. If we both get approved for the Chase Hyatt card next year we'll have 4 nights available there too.

The physically challenged person, age 64, can walk for an hour, or so, then needs to sit for awhile. A four to five hour excursion is about her max. per day.

Thoughts?

TIA

We have enough points with SPG, Marriott & PC for 3 to 4 night stays each. We're planning to spend 6 or 7 nights in Paris & then take the train south to Aix & Marseilles for a few more days. Would not like to change hotels, in Paris, more than once. So, maybe 3/4 nights in a Marriott & then 3/4 nights in a PC or SPG.

What area of Paris would allow us to see the most top tourist sites with the least amount of walking? Or are the top sites so spread out (we can use the subway & taxis) that there is no good answer? :) Of the three hotel groups above would one be a clear winner? We don't need luxury but won't scoff at it either. If we both get approved for the Chase Hyatt card next year we'll have 4 nights available there too.

The physically challenged person, age 64, can walk for an hour, or so, then needs to sit for awhile. A four to five hour excursion is about her max. per day.

Thoughts?

TIA

Hi,

Paris is an old city, which means it has not been designed for physically challenged people. In any case, forget about the subway : although it's the most convenient way of transportation around the city, it's just a maze of long corridors and stairs. Do not expect elevators.

For the least amount of walking to the all the main sites, the Westin Paris Vendome is the best choice in my opinion (in SPG properties). Only the Champs Elysées / Eiffel Tower zone would require more walk, but then you can switch to Marriott Champs Elysées or Renaissance Wagram (a bit farther but better hotel) in the Marriott chain.

Hi,

Paris is an old city, which means it has not been designed for physically challenged people. In any case, forget about the subway : although it's the most convenient way of transportation around the city, it's just a maze of long corridors and stairs. Do not expect elevators.

For the least amount of walking to the all the main sites, the Westin Paris Vendome is the best choice in my opinion (in SPG properties). Only the Champs Elysées / Eiffel Tower zone would require more walk, but then you can switch to Marriott Champs Elysées or Renaissance Wagram (a bit farther but better hotel) in the Marriott chain.

Great advice-just what I was looking for. If our Hyatt nights come through how convenient would the Park Hyatt-Vendome be?

Thanks!

take cabs. walk a bit, take a cab home. even a very short cab ride. i take 3-6 block cab rides in london, rome, paris when necessary. think about it. spend $5000 to "do rome, london, paris", spend the few dollars to go up the hill to your hotel. i am 74. i started doing cabs 15 years ago. the hills of rome are hell.

Marriott Renaissance Vendome is very well located and accessible. The metro is a very short walk but I would take cabs if a physical disability is involved. I would not select the Marriott CES property.

Bobette

take cabs. walk a bit, take a cab home. even a very short cab ride. i take 3-6 block cab rides in london, rome, paris when necessary. think about it. spend $5000 to "do rome, london, paris", spend the few dollars to go up the hill to your hotel. i am 74. i started doing cabs 15 years ago. the hills of rome are hell.

Marriott Renaissance Vendome is very well located and accessible. The metro is a very short walk but I would take cabs if a physical disability is involved. I would not select the Marriott CES property.

Bobette

Thanks for the advice. Are Paris cabs similar in price, per mile, to Chicago or NYC cabs?

Thanks for the advice. Are Paris cabs similar in price, per mile, to Chicago or NYC cabs?

I don't know what Chicago or NYC fares are like, but here's a table of current taxi fares in the Paris region:
http://www.taxisg7.fr/mieux-connaitre-le-taxi/tarifs-taxis

Fares depend on the time of day and the zone you're traveling in. There's a per-trip minimum of 6.20 €. Note that if you order a taxi ahead of time, the meter begins running when the taxi takes the call, not when it arrives to pick you up.

I wouldn't rule out buses if the disabled person is able to step up into a bus. Buses are great IMO.

Bobette

Removed.

My mother has difficulty walking long distances and also needs to sit and rest frequently. She loves to visit Paris; we just went over Thanksgiving 2011.

French people are quite considerate of older people with mobility issues. Even though most metro stations do not have lifts and/or escalators, my mother was able to use the stairs as long as she had a rail to grasp. She never had to stand on the metro (not like the Tube in London last month); some one always offered her a seat on the metro. We tried busses last year and entering and exiting the bus was no problem for her. We stayed close to the Bastille on this trip and the metro was more convenient for us.

We were able to use the lift at the Arc d'Triomphe. However, there are stairs that must be climbed to get to the viewing area. The sight of the Eiffel Tower twinkling makes it worth the climb.

At the Musee Pompidou, we were both allowed to see the Edvard Munch exhibit at no additional charge. Disabled people and one companion are admitted free at some museums and attractions. We had 4 day Paris Museum Passes but the special exhibit was not included.

Most museums have lots of areas to sit and enjoy the art and/or exhibits. We visited the Louvre, Orangerie, d'Orsay, Marmatton, Rodin, Nissam de Commado, and other places and had no problems finding seats to rest. Some museums have wheel chairs available at no charge.

I purchased a cane for my mother that has a seat attached. The cane has three legs and can be folded easily to serve as a regular cane. I got the cane at Magellan but other stores have them available. It really helps when she simply has to rest and there is no place to sit.

We discovered that requesting wheelchair assistance at the airport really saves on getting through customs and immigration. Even waving her cane at the officials gets her (and me as her companion) through the line quickly. When she does receive wheelchair assistance, we tip the attendant.

I hope that some of these tips help. I am confident that all of you will have a wonderful time in Paris. We always enjoy our visits and I am so glad that my mother is still able to travel. She will requalify for Executive Platinum status on AA after one more flight in 2011; she will hit 101,972 actual miles flown - not bad for someone over 70.

Buses are great IMO.

Bobette

They are indeed, if...

you don't necessarily have to be somewhere at a given time (buses are affected by traffic jams, construction detours, sudden changes of destination, streets blocked by demonstrations, etc.)
you can stand, because there's no guarantee you'll get a seat if the bus is crowded
you know or can map out your route, because with all the one-way streets it's not always obvious where the stops are


That said, I usually take buses myself and most of the time they're fine, but you often need to be flexible in your timing and tolerance.

I'm a wheelchair user, but younger and have a lot of stamina. My last trip to Paris I stayed on the Ile de la Cite, in a VRBO apartment. I was pleasantly surprised at how many dropped kerbs/curb cuts there were, although a curb cut is of little use when the sidewalk is blocked by parked cars, in which case I stay in the street.

Random mobility impairment observations about Paris:

1. Metro useless, except for a couple of stations on Line 14.

2. Maybe people are considerate of older, mobility impaired people in the metro, but that wasn't my experience - I was rushed, pushed, and jumped over by people who were inconvenienced by my presence.

3. Cabs useless - every time I tried to hail a cab, it drove off fast as soon as the driver saw the wheelchair. I did take a couple of cabs, by getting hotel doormen to hail the cab for me while I hid.

4. Being a wheelchair user in long lines for tourist attractions (Louvre, Musee d'Orsay, etc) is good - generally some staff person would come fetch me out of the line, escort me to the entrance, and let me in for free.

So I walked (pushed) a lot, and stayed very local.

Thanks for ALL the thoughtful responses. She doesn't use, or need, a wheelchair. But she has a muscle disease that makes it hard for her to: a) walk long distances and b)climb a lot of stairs/steps. Buses are doable but maybe only 1 or 2 a day.

Which TWO arrondissements would you stay in to limit the amount of travel (car/bus/walking) while still seeing the main sites? We'll probably do three, or four, nights in two different hotels (see 1st post). 1st & 4th? 2nd & 3rd?

Merci, mes amis.

Thanks for ALL the thoughtful responses. She doesn't use, or need, a wheelchair. But she has a muscle disease that makes it hard for her to: a) walk long distances and b)climb a lot of stairs/steps. Buses are doable but maybe only 1 or 2 a day.

Which TWO arrondissements would you stay in to limit the amount of travel (car/bus/walking) while still seeing the main sites? We'll probably do three, or four, nights in two different hotels (see 1st post). 1st & 4th? 2nd & 3rd?

Merci, mes amis.

Of the 4 you mentioned, the 1e is the most centrally located. If you have to use two different hotels during your stay I might consider staying in the first both times because of its location and you will be familiar with the area.

The good thing about Paris is that, even though it is not totally accessible, you can have a great time sitting in cafes and the beautiful parks whiling away time watching the world go by (my favorite thng to do).

Bobette

Of the 4 you mentioned, the 1e is the most centrally located. If you have to use two different hotels during your stay I might consider staying in the first both times because of its location and you will be familiar with the area.

The good thing about Paris is that, even though it is not totally accessible, you can have a great time sitting in cafes and the beautiful parks whiling away time watching the world go by (my favorite thing to do).

Bobette

And a glass of red wine makes it even more fun. :) I visited Paris umpteen years ago when I was in High School (Verdun American HS). Not much comes back from that year!! Thanks.

And a glass of red wine makes it even more fun. :) .

But, bien sur. Then let the good times begin.