Everybody Out!

Jessica Knipe goes in search of trails that are accessible to all...

The rugged, lace-up boots. The bulky, tensed calf muscles. The panoramic view from the top of a cliff… You get the picture – it’s the evergreen cliché hiking shot, the one in every sports shop window. But what if you don’t live near a mountain trail? And what if you don’t have access, geographically or physically, to picturesque heights? Don’t let any of that stop you: thanks to some innovative new smartphone applications and inclusive associative initiatives, now you can still join in on the hiking fun!

The new Balade à Roulettes label (BR®), for example, is revolutionising the lives of those who depend on wheels to get around, whether that’s mobility impaired wheelchair users, people who rely on a zimmer frame, or simply new parents with their pushchairs.

A BR® trail is guaranteed to be short and peaceful, with smooth surfaces and limited traffic, wide paths and plenty of rest stops along the way. Selected by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée (ffrandonnee.fr), the paths can be searched by region, technical difficulty and their attributes – a water feature, a playground, points of local interest, restauration, etc. – and offer safe and fun ways for everyone to enjoy time outdoors.

Wheelchair users who are looking for something a little more exciting can also research wheel-friendly trails on websites such as alltrails.com, or by clicking on the “Respect” option on Rossignol’s On Piste app. The Respect Program lists not only sustainable, environmentally friendly trails, but also routes for people with disabilities. Working in collaboration with the Fédération Française Handisport, the paths encourage people with wheels to join in and explore routes throughout Nouvelle-Aquitaine and further afield, showing trails in order of difficulty and terrain, but also by the width of the path to see if a wheelchair will fit, as well as how smooth the surface is, and how high the obstacles are. “This tool helps users know whether an urban chair will work, or if a three-wheel or all-terrain version is necessary,” explains Emmanuel Buchoud, technical advisor for the FFH. “Able-bodied hikers can also find out whether they’ll need special equipment, or whether they’ll need a hiking partner to go with them.”

So what’s the difference with just following a normal footpath? “The accessible paths in place today are mostly cemented or made up of wooden platforms,” says Emmanuel. “It’s not exactly natural, more like bringing the city to the countryside. They also only give access to a small portion of the larger hike, but there are plenty of other options available to people with disabilities.” That’s what On Piste is trying to bring to the table. For those whose impediment to going for a hike also includes a transportation element, large towns and cities have started to create inner city, urban hikes. Bordeaux is leading the way with its Grande Randonnée® label, the first of its kind in France: a 160-kilometre-long network of walks that are adapted to all and are split into 11 units from 40 minutes to a whole day of walking, it’s a way to allow city dwellers to enjoy the great outdoors without having to organise travel far from their home.

.Read the full feature in the June 2023 issue of Living Magazine..