Page 362 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Paris

360  SUR VIV AL GUIDE

Travellers with impaired. Accès Plus is a free Etiquette and Smoking
Special Needs
service to greet and accompany Etiquette (la politesse) is
Services for people with special disabled travellers on their everything to Parisians. On
needs are improving in Paris. journey. Les Compagnons du entering a store or cafe, you
Most pavements are contoured Voyage will provide an escort are expected to say “bonjour,
to allow wheel chairs easier for persons with Madame” or “bonjour,
passage, and restaurants, hotels limited mobility on Monsieur” to staff,
and museums are adapting any form of public and when leaving
their amenities. There is, for transpor t, for a fee. to say “au revoir.” Be
example, wheelchair access to Some Paris taxi sure to add “s’il vous
the first and second floor of the companies (such plaît” (please) when
Eiffel Tower, at a reduced fee, as G7, see p381), ordering something
while the Louvre and Musée have vehicles suited and “pardon” if you
d’Orsay are free to disabled to travellers with Tourisme & accidentally bump
visitors and their escorts. limited mobility; Handicap sign someone.
Increasingly, sights are taxis are bound by The French shake
sporting the Tourisme & law to assist hands on meeting
Handicap label denoting that disabled travellers. some one for the first time and
they are accessible to people For further up-to-date inform- when greeting workmates or
with physical, mental, hearing ation on public amenities for acquaintances. Friends and
and visual impediments. The the disabled, contact the GIHP. colleagues who know each
Office du Tourisme et des other well usually greet each
Congrès (see p359) has a guide other with a kiss on each cheek.
(Les Sites Labellisés “Tourisme & Student Travellers If you are unsure, wait to see if
Handicap” à Paris et en Ile-de- Students with valid ID cards they proffer a hand or a cheek.
France) listing these. The benefit from discounts of Smoking is prohibited in all
association J’accede has details 25–50 per cent at theatres, public places, but is allowed
(in French and English) of acces- museums, cinemas and many on restaurant, café and pub
sible museums, hotels, bars, public monuments. An ISIC terraces, as long as they are
restaurants and cinemas in card (International Student not enclosed.
Paris and other French cities. ID card) may be bought
Metro stations and bus routes from the main travel agencies Public Conveniences
accessible to travellers with and the CIDJ. BVJ Youth Hostel
limited mobility are marked has two reasonably priced Automated, self-cleaning toilets
with a wheelchair symbol on hostels in Paris (see p283). can be found across the city.
their maps. The RATP’s Infomobi They have been upgraded to
website details all their be larger than previously,
accessible public transport and Senior Travellers wheelchair-usable and free.
stations. Paris’s international train Some museums and Children under ten are not
stations have lifts, ramps, monuments, theatres and allowed to use these toilets
courtesy wheel chairs, signs in independent cinemas offer on their own because the
Braille and a magnetic loop at reductions for visitors aged automated cleaning function
ticket counters for the hearing over 60. Théâtre du Chatelet can be a danger to small
(see p339), for children. There are also more
example, offers than 30 free public toilet facilities
discounted tickets in Paris; locations are listed on
15 minutes before the Mairie de Paris website.
showtime to over-
65s. Expect to be
asked for ID, such Paris Time
as a passport, to Paris is 1 hour ahead of
prove your date Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
of birth. Canal or British Summer Time (BST).
tour operators New York is 6 hours behind
Canauxrama and Paris, Los Angeles is 9 hours
Paris Canal offer behind and Auckland is 11
reduced fees. hours ahead. France observes
Over-60s are Daylight Saving in summer;
eligible for a 25 clocks are put forward by
per cent discount 1 hour on the last weekend
from state railroad in March and put back by
SNCF for off-peak 1 hour on the last weekend
travel. Check their in October. The French use
The Eiffel Tower, a wheelchair-accessible attraction web site for details. the 24-hour clock.

360-361_EW_Paris.indd 360 03/04/17 10:58 am
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Practical template “UK” LAYER
(Source v1.1)
Date 13th August 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm