My Nine Day Voyage into the Loire
A tested wheelchair accessible itinerary from the UK.
Those fully dependent on their wheelchairs will know how challenging flying can be, but Northern France is great because you can do it in the car. Moreover, the journey can be broken up by stopping at service stations with changing places toilets in the UK, and travelling across the channel on an overnight ferry. On the way, I would recommend the Brittanny Ferries crossing from Portsmouth to Saint-Malo. However I might suggest an alternative route such as Caen to Portsmouth on the way back if you want to make it feel more like a round trip.
Upon arrival at Saint-Malo, I would suggest staying there for 2 nights rather than moving on too quickly. My parents and I stayed at Le Grand Bé and by way of our main activities, we visited the cathedral, went up to the accessible viewing points on the ramparts, and went on a lovely long stroll along the promenade outside the city walls. In fact, all the cathedrals I visited had wheelchair access and for a large portion of the whole trip I loved simply going between shops, cafes and restaurants (which are generally not accessible inside but have much covered seating outside).
So the first three nights weren’t actually spent in the Loire, but it meant that by the time we got down there, my parents and I were suitably relaxed. Doing the same activities in terms of food and drink, and visiting the cathedrals, we then spent one night in Nantes at Mercure Centre Grand, and another night in Angers in a workable but slightly run-down Mercure Centre Gare. Alongside the cathedrals and general wonderings in these locations, I would highly recommend the Musée d’Arts de Nantes and then the Apocalypse Tapestry at Château d’Angers.
Balancing out this inspiring but hectic initial period in the Loire, we then spent night six, seven, and eight in the well-designed city of Tours, at the Hotel Oceania L’univers. Access to Tour’s cathedral, and its buzzing old town, its own cafes and restaurants, was made particularly easy with a huge modern stretch of shops running on either side of the tram tracks.
The main challenges I came across throughout the trip were cobblestones, a lack of accessible public toilet facilities, and a bed on the first ferry with no space to get a mobile hoist under. I was able to manage these issues by staying in hotels located right in city centres, pausing for food and drink when I was worn out, and taking a slip sheet for non-ideal beds. If you do get stuck for toilets when a little further out, it is worth checking public libraries.
And, a final word on price: this could be reduced by selecting another hotel which is still part of some chain and offers PMR (Personne à Mobilité Réduit) rooms.
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