STUDY VISIT TO FRANCE
17 May 2019
In the period May 14-17, 2019, a group of representatives of the partner organizations under the “PATHWAYS FOR ACCESSIBLE HERITAGE TOURISM” project 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 (leading), the Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Volvi, the National Confederation of Disabled People of Greece and the Technological Educational Institute of Central Macedonia (Department of Business Management) from Greece; Union of the Disabled in Bulgaria, Agency for Local Economic Development Razlog, Association Regional Youth Parliament Kardzhali and Association Ecoworld Rodopi Smolyan from Bulgaria visited House of the National Park and Valley in Arrens-Marsous and House of the National Park in Saint-Lary /Saint-Larry/, which are one of the emblematic buildings and areas fully accessible to people with the four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment.
The project “Paths for accessible tourism” (“Access to Heritage”) aims to support the sustainable development of cultural tourism in the cross-border region Greece-Bulgaria and to establish it as an international destination for accessible tourism, including people with disabilities and chronic diseases, elderly people and their families.
In particular, the Project seeks to create conditions for the exchange and transfer of know-how and good practices related to the improvement of the accessibility of cultural and natural structures, which will lead to the improvement of the accessibility and visitation of assets/objects of cultural and natural heritage in the cross-border region region.
The activity “Exploratory Visits Abroad”, part of the Work Program “Initiatives beyond the cross-border territory and abroad” seeks to improve the capacity of project partners through information, know-how and knowledge on accessible tourism and tourism for the elderly in leading European countries .
Subsequently, by implementing the awareness-raising (public events) and capacity-building (training) activities, the partners will be able to contribute at the local level to the capacity-building of the authorities responsible for the management of cultural and natural heritage assets, as well as and tourism professionals to meet the needs of adult tourism and accessible tourism at a higher quality level.
The study trip to the Pyrenees National Park (South of France) aims to familiarize with France’s disability policy, accessible tourism in France, highlighting the Pyrenees National Park, its policy and achievements in the field of accessibility, innovative ideas and team projects and the “Spirit of the National Park” tourism trademark.
Task – familiarization with good practices and bringing know-how to the development of accessible nature tourism in France.
The activity contributes substantially to the implementation of the main objective of the project.
Project experts were hosted by the Pyrenees National Park by Marie Hervieu, Head of Public Relations. She is an educated and experienced expert who treated all guests very friendly. He openly and skilfully talked about the achievements of the National Park team, their innovative projects and ideas.
Places visited
– The first house of the National Park and Valley in Aren-Marsou is the office of the National Park, a tourist center and has a small interactive exposition on the development of tourism in the region. The building also has a screening room. After the house, there is an accessible tourist route carefully considered by the experts of the project, having 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 built, which is a tourist center and has an interesting exhibition about the developed local economic activities related to animal husbandry, cheese production, herb gathering, beekeeping and other.
– House of the National Park in Saint-Lary, a developed tourist center for skiing, hiking and cycling. The house is located in the beautiful building with the Hashan tower, there is a tourist information center and an attractive exhibition (indoor and outdoor) dedicated to trees, forests and the industries developed through them. The multi-sensory exhibition is made of only natural materials, has the label “Tourism and Disability” and is suitable for people with the four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment. Visitors are offered sensory animations, sound and aromas also allow the sensory discovery of these different animal and plant species. For the ecologically responsible use of wood, all the uses of wood can be seen in the form of tactile animations. There is also a tactile terminal so that people with disabilities can learn about accessible walking routes in the Or Valley. The house in Saint-Lary has a screening room as well as a gift shop.
During the study visit, 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”) was created. It is issued by the Ministry of Tourism of France, 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 about the accessibility of tourist sites and facilities.
http://www.tourisme-handicaps.org/les-labels/
The sign covers four groups of impairment conditions: 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 carried out. 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 growing continuously. 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 impairment conditions (hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment). These are 41% of the sites that have the Tourisme et handicap brand. In order to encourage more and more establishments and objects to get involved in the activities covered by the label, a month of Tourisme et handicap is organized, exhibitions are held, prizes are awarded, and increased advertising of the activities is maintained in social networks.
As a famous and attractive tourist and natural site, the Pyrenees National Park in the south of France is also included in Tourisme et handicap. It is part of a chain of ten national parks in France that are managed by the French Agency for Biological Diversity (Agence Française pour la Biodiversité AFB). National parks cover diverse land and sea areas and represent almost 9.5% of the French territory (60728 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, the rich flora and fauna, as well as the sights attract many tourists to the Pyrenees National Park. The desire to make the park accessible to people with disabilities led its management back in 2006, that is, a year after the adoption of the Law on People with Disabilities, to meet the requirements and receive the label “Tourisme et handicap” (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 and Maison du Parc national de Laruns en vallée d’Ossau of Laryun National Park in the Oso Valley/. The label refers to all four types of disabilities – hearing impairment, visual impairment, motor impairment and mental impairment and is the first time it has been given to French National Parks! Today, six of the nine houses in the park have the label 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 and Point d’information du Plan d’Aste. The remaining three houses (visitor centers) are also handicap accessible, but not for all four species.
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:
http://www.pyrenees-parcnational.fr/fr/des-decouvertes/un-parc-national-accessible/label-tourisme-et-handicap
The policy of accessibility 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 their disability, to touch the heart of nature and discover the extraordinary richness of the mountain. The trail facilities are fully autonomous. At the beginning of each of them are panels equipped with sound terminals powered by solar energy. They broadcast commentary in French, English and Spanish. The texts on each interpretation panel are written in French, English and Spanish, as well as Braille. The models allow any visitor to understand the topics involved
Around the National Park, an interpretive trail has been created on the theme of trees. It is known as the Path of Trees – Etsaut. On three-sided revolving terminals, relief designs show the tree, its leaves and its fruit. The names of the plant species are written in French and Spanish, as well as in Braille and enlarged characters for the visually impaired. More than 25 trees are thus illustrated. One of the islands is dedicated to geology and soil influence. It presents the most famous rocks of the valley. A wheelchair-accessible observation telescope and two interpretive panels about birds of prey and bears complete the trail. Resin prints of wild animals with identification in French, Spanish and Braille are also featured.
To attract new visitors, including people with disabilities, the Pyrenees National Park implements new and original initiatives and approaches.
The park is included in the International Reserve of the Starry Sky of the Pic du Midi (La Réserve Internationale de Ciel Etoilé du Pic du Midi (RICE). RICE is a space dedicated to the protection and preservation of the quality of the night. More than half of the High Pyrenees (Hautes -Pyrénées) are involved in the fight against the phenomenon of light pollution
Whether the disabled tourist wants to visit the astronomical observatory located at 2,877 meters on the Pic du Midi or the cable car, this is an easy option. Most of the Pic du Midi facilities are designed to offer an unforgettable experience, even with a mental or physical disability. Therefore, the gondola lift, the museum, the terraces, the information boards, the restaurant and the toilets are fully accessible to these categories of disabled people. Along with this, Pic du Midi teams are available to people with specific needs during their lift journey. The only wheelchair-accessible rooms for the time being are the overnight rooms, which are accessed by a winding staircase. But RICE offers to replace the night in a room with a night under the open sky, the so-called “Starry Nights” (Soirées Etoilées). There is also the possibility to visit some of the paths in the mountain for people in wheelchairs
Presentation:
Del.-6.9.2-Inernational-study-visits-for-exchange-of-good-parctices-France-BG
Del.-6.9.2-Inernational-study-visits-for-exchange-of-good-parctices-France-EN