Tourisme & Handicap certification

Tourisme & Handicap is a national brand recently accredited by the State and managed by Atout France. It aims to promote tourist attractions and amenities that are accessible to disabled people. Based on a charter, this certification label guarantees a quality welcome to anyone with a disability in one of the four recognised categories: motor, mental, hearing or visual impairment.

The label offers a reliable guarantee to tourists in search of solutions that meet their specific needs. Pictograms (one for each disability type) displayed at the entrance indicate which disabilities the establishment caters for.

In France, and Paris Region in particular, this seal of approval is awarded following an assessment based on strict criteria. Certified establishments promise to provide an adapted service and to continually improve accessibility to their facilities.

💡Good to know: there are 3,510 certified establishments in France, including 89 in the Île-de-France region.

Find out more about the Tourisme & Handicap label.

To receive the Tourisme & Handicap seal of approval (awarded for a period of 5 years), an establishment must meet a number of criteria for at least two of the four categories of disability (hearing, mental, motor, visual).

Firstly, it must observe the legal requirements of its branch of activity. Secondly, in each disability category for which certification is sought, it must comply with the mandatory criteria and achieve a minimum score of 75% for criteria relating to user-friendliness.

The requirements are different for each type of disability:

• Motor disability: It is essential for sites to have access ramps, lifts, wide doorways and adapted toilets, to make them easily accessible to people with mobility issues.
  
• Visual impairment: Information must be available in Braille format or in large characters, and specific features may be installed such as tactile or high-contrast strips.
  
• Hearing impairment: To facilitate comprehension, the use of visual aids or hearing induction loops is encouraged.
  
• Mental disability: Explanations must be clear and simple, and staff must be trained to deal with visitors who have understanding difficulties.
  
  

Establishments interested in obtaining certification must first submit an application online, at: https://qt.atout-france.fr/#/login. An on-site assessment will then be carried out by a tourism operator and a person from a disability association.

Further details about applying for Tourisme & Handicap certification: https://www.atout-france.fr/fr/tourisme-et-handicap/procedure-de-labellisation and https://www.economie.gouv.fr/entreprises/marque-label-tourisme-handicap#

There are 22 activity sectors concerned by the Tourisme & Handicap label. These include leisure activities, restaurants, nature sports, guided tours and so on, because Paris Region is all about inclusiveness.

• Museums: the Louvre and the La Poste Museum have adapted layouts and specific services such as descriptive guided tours and touch tours, for example.
  
• Monuments: the Blandy-les-Tours Castle, and the Paris Mint are accessible to people with mobility issues and are equipped to accommodate people with hearing or visual impairments.
  
• Nature spots and recreational sites : The regional nature parks, zoos and gardens of Île-de-France, such as the Paris Zoological Park, have specially adapted facilities for families with a disabled person.
  
  

Map showing Tourisme & Handicap-certified establishments: https://data.economie.gouv.fr/pages/tourisme-et-handicap/

Paris Region is committed to offering greater accessibility to all its visitors. Be it through Tourisme & Handicap certification or a local initiative, accessibility is a top priority. The transport services are also embracing the inclusive approach to allow easy access for all.

When planning your stay in Paris Region, check all our practical information about accessibility, to make the most of the treasures of this dynamic, history-steeped region.