Study visit to France under the project “PATHWAYS FOR ACCESSIBLE HERITAGE TOURISM”
17 Μαΐου 2019
In the period 14-17 May 2019, a group of representatives of the partner organizations under the project “PATHWAYS FOR ACCESSIBLE HERITAGE TOURISM” participated in a study visit to the Pyrenees National Park – France.
Within the Activity: “Study visits abroad” representatives of the partner organizations: the Managing Authority of the Rhodope National Park (lead), the Fund for Regional Development of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Volvi, the National Confederation of People with Disabilities of Greece and the Technological Educational Institute of Central Macedonia (Department of Business Management) from Greece; The Union of the Disabled in Bulgaria, the Razlog Local Economic Development Agency, the Kardzhali Regional Youth Parliament Association and the Rhodope Smolyan Ecosviat Association from Bulgaria visited the House of the National Park and the Valley in Arrens-Marsous and the House of the National Park in Saint-Lary / Saint-Larry /, which are one of the emblematic buildings and areas, fully accessible to people with four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment,
The project “Paths for accessible tourism” (“Access to Heritage”) aims to support the sustainable development of cultural tourism in the cross-border region of Greece-Bulgaria and to establish it as an international destination for accessible tourism, including people with disabilities and chronic diseases, adults people and their families.
In particular, the Project seeks to create conditions for the exchange and introduction of know-how and good practices related to improving the accessibility of cultural and natural structures, which will lead to improved accessibility and attendance of assets / sites of cultural and natural heritage in the cross-border region.
The Study Abroad Activity, part of the Work Initiatives Cross-Border and Abroad Work Program, seeks to improve the capacity of project partners through information, know-how and knowledge on accessible tourism and tourism for older people in leading European countries. .
Subsequently, by implementing information (public events) and capacity building (training) activities, the partners will be able to contribute at the local level to increase the capacity of the authorities responsible for the management of assets in the field of cultural and natural heritage, as well as and tourism professionals to meet the needs of adult tourism and affordable tourism at a higher quality level.
The study trip to the Pyrenees National Park (Southern France) aims to get acquainted with the French policy for people with disabilities, accessible tourism in France, focusing on the Pyrenees National Park, its accessibility policy and achievements, innovative ideas and projects of the team and the trademark “Spirit of the National Park”.
Task – acquaintance with good practices and introduction of know-how in the field of development of accessible nature tourism in France.
The activity contributes significantly to the implementation of the main goal of the project.
The project experts were hosted by Marie Hervieu, Head of the Public Relations Department, on behalf of the Pyrenees National Park. She is an educated and experienced expert who is very friendly to all guests. He openly and skillfully told about the achievements of the team of the National Park, their innovative projects and ideas.
Places visited
– The first house of the National Park and the valley in Aren-Mars is an office of the national park, a tourist center and has a small interactive exhibition for the development of tourism in the region. There is also a projection hall in the building. After the house there is an accessible tourist route, carefully examined by the project experts, with unique tourist information boards, suitable for people with visual and hearing difficulties.
– At the end of the Aren-Marsu valley (in the heart of the mountain) there is a new House of the National Park, which is a tourist center and has an interesting exhibition on local economic activities related to animal husbandry, cheese production, herb collection, beekeeping and other.
– House of the National Park in Saint-Larry, a developed tourist center for skiing, hiking and cycling. The house is located in a beautiful building with the Hashan Tower, has a tourist information center and an attractive exhibition (indoor and outdoor) dedicated to trees, forests and industries developed through them. The multi-sensory exhibition is made only of natural materials, labeled “Tourism and Disability” and is suitable for people with four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment. Visitors are offered sensory animations, sound and aromas allow the sensory detection of these different animal and plant species. For the environmentally responsible use of wood, all applications of wood can be seen in the form of tactile animations. There is also a tactile terminal so that people with disabilities can explore accessible walking routes in the Or Valley. The house in Saint-Larry has a projection hall as well as a souvenir shop.
During the study visit, the participants also found:
As part of the accessibility policy, the French state and society also implement the accessible tourism policy. The state label (sign, brand) “Tourism and Disabilities” (Label “Tourisme et handicap”) has been created. It was issued by the French Ministry of Tourism, but its appearance is due to the close cooperation of the state body with the tourism industry, local authorities and associations representing people with disabilities. The purpose of the Tourism and Disabilities label is to provide objective and consistent information on the accessibility of sites and tourist facilities.
http://www.tourisme-handicaps.org/les-labels/
The sign covers four groups of conditions of impairment: hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment. Every five years a new Tourisme et handicap categorization of the sites covered by the brand is performed. It covers various tourist activities, which are grouped into 5 categories: accommodation; tourist information; free time; restaurant activities; visits.
Interest in Tourisme et handicap is constantly growing. In June 2018, it covered nearly 5,500 establishments and institutions. On December 31, 2016, 2,260 tourist sites received the mark for all four groups of conditions of disability (hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment). These are 41% of the sites that own the Tourisme et handicap brand. In order to encourage more and more establishments and sites to participate in the activities covered by the label, a month of Tourisme et handicap is organized, exhibitions are held, prizes are handed out, and intensive advertising of the activities on social networks is maintained.
As a famous and attractive tourist and natural site, the Pyrenees National Park in southern France is also included in the Tourisme et handicap. It is part of a chain of ten national parks in France managed by the French Agency for Biological Diversity (Agence Française pour la Biodiversité AFB). National parks cover a variety of land and sea areas and represent almost 9.5% of French territory (60,728 km²). They are classified as national parks due to their exceptional natural and cultural resources. The ten parks attract more than 8.5 million visitors each year.
http://www.pyrenees-parcnational.fr/fr
The natural beauty, rich flora and fauna, as well as the sights attract many tourists to the Pyrenees National Park. The desire for the park to be accessible to people with disabilities led its management in 2006, ie a year after the adoption of the Law on People with Disabilities, to meet the requirements and receive the label “Tourism and Disabilities” (Label “Tourisme et handicap”) for two of the houses (visitor centers) in the park – Maison du Parc national des Pyrénées d’Etsaut en vallée d’Aspe / House of the National Park in Etso in the Aspe Valley / and Maison du Parc national de Laruns en vallée d’Ossau / House of the Laryun National Park in the Oso Valley. The label also applies to the four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment and isgiven for the first time in French national parks! Today, six of the park’s nine houses are labeled for all four types of disabilities: Maison du Parc national à Tarbes, Maison et de la vallée à Arrens-Marsous, Maison à Etsaut. Etso /, Maison à Laruns / Maison à Saint-Lary /, Maison à Saint-Lary / House in Saint-Lary / and Point d’information du Plan d’Aste / Information point in Plan Daste. The other three houses (visitor centers) are also accessible to people with disabilities, but not to the four types.
Houses in the Pyrenees National Park: http://www.pyrenees-parcnational.fr/fr/des-decouvertes/sejourner-dans-le-parc-national/les-maisons-du-parc-national-des-pyrenees
Accessibility label in the Park:
The accessibility policy for people with disabilities has been implemented by the Pyrenees National Park and in the construction of routes-interpretive paths for the four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment. All these facilities allow every visitor, regardless of his disability, to touch the heart of nature and discover the exceptional wealth of the mountain. The facilities in the trails are completely autonomous. At the beginning of each of them are panels that are equipped with sound terminals powered by solar energy. They broadcast commentary in French, English and Spanish. The texts of each interpretation panel are written in French, English and Spanish, as well as in Braille. The models allow each visitor to understand the topics covered
An interpretive path on the topic of trees has been created around the National Park. It is known as the Path of the Trees – Etsaut. On three-sided rotating terminals, relief drawings show the tree, its leaves and its fruits. The names of the plant species are written in French and Spanish, as well as in Braille and enlarged signs for the visually impaired. More than 25 trees are illustrated in this way. One of the islands is dedicated to geology and the influence of soil. It presents the most famous rocks of the valley. A telescope accessible to wheelchair users and two interpretive boards for birds of prey and bears complete the trail. Resin imprints of wild animals with identification in French, Spanish and Braille are also presented.
To attract new visitors, including people with disabilities, the Pyrenees National Park is implementing new and original initiatives and approaches.
The park is part of the La Réserve Internationale de Ciel Etoilé du Pic du Midi (RICE) International Reserve of the Starry Sky. -Pyrénées) are involved in the fight against the phenomenon of light pollution
Whether a disabled tourist wants to visit an astronomical observatory located at 2,877 meters on the Peak du Midi peak or the gondola lift, this is an easy opportunity to achieve. Most of Pic du Midi’s facilities are designed to offer an unforgettable experience, even in the case of mental or physical impairment. Therefore, the gondola lift, the museum, the terraces, the information boards, the restaurant and the toilets are fully accessible for these categories of people with disabilities. In addition, Pic du Midi teams are available to people with special needs during their lift journey. The only rooms not accessible for wheelchairs at the moment are the overnight rooms, which can be reached by winding stairs. But RICE is proposing to replace the night in a room with an open-air night, the so-called “Star Nights” (Soirées Etoilées).
People with disabilities also enjoy financial incentives. They pay a lower fee than other tourists – 40 euros instead of 45.
The Pyrenees National Park, together with the other 9 national parks in France, created the brand “Spirit of the National Park” (marque Esprit parc national). It carries and summarizes the values of national parks: mainly the protection of biological diversity, but also the protection of cultural heritage and the development of activities compatible with respect for nature. For this purpose, a common internet platform has been built, through which the parks – each separately – offer their services and products. Each park also publishes its own annual directory, which describes in detail what the park offers, as part of the Esprit parc national brand.
The common mark Esprit parc national:
https://www.espritparcnational.com/parcs-nationaux/parc-national-des-pyrenees
Care for people with disabilities visiting the park, labeled “Tourism and Disability” (Label “Tourisme et handicap”), is combined with the Esprit Parc National brand in the Iberian Park. For all sites, services or products offered there are always indications for the needs of people with disabilities. As, for example, in Camping Azun Nature in the Azun Valley. The website, the annual directory and the information boards explicitly state that the open areas and bathrooms (bathrooms and toilets) are adapted for people with disabilities.
https://www.camping-azun-nature.com/fr/le-camping/
Conclusions / Lessons learned /
A visit to the Pyrenees National Park showed that caring for people with disabilities, even in much harder to reach places such as mountains, valleys, peaks, winding paths and uneven roads, lakes and other bodies of water, as well as visitor centers and outdoor exhibitions not only is it entirely possible, but a huge percentage of obstacles for people with special needs are overcome. In most places in the park, the label (brand) “Tourism and handicap” (Label “Tourisme et handicap”) is for the four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment.
The Pyrenees National Park is the first national park in France to receive the Tourisme et handicap label for two of its houses: Maison du Parc national des Pyrénées d’Etsaut en vallée d’Aspe / House of the National Park in Etso in the Aspe Valley / and Maison du Parc national de Laruns en vallée d’Ossau / House of the Laruns National Park in the Ossau Valley /. And for the four types of disabilities!
From what was seen on the spot and the information materials, the aspiration to make the park 100% accessible for people with disabilities is also evident. Of course, this is in line with the policy of the French state and the full understanding in society that people with disabilities are full citizens who, with common support, can live fully and also be useful for the development of civil society and prosperity and progress. of the French Republic.
What was seen and learned from the visit to the Pyrenees National Park can be applied at the national level in Greece and Bulgaria. Not only funding is needed. The full synchronicity in the work of the state, civil society and organizations of people with disabilities will lead to the practical realization of the French experience. Whether it will be in the same direction or scale depends on many circumstances. But the direction is more than right.
And this experience must be applied!