The Village, having just seen the departure of the last Olympic athletes on Tuesday, is now gearing up to receive the first of the approximately 180 Paralympic delegations, starting with the chefs de mission, early this Sunday morning. This transition requires a significant transformation to accommodate the incoming athletes with disabilities.

Much of the infrastructure within the Village was originally designed with accessibility in mind. “Public spaces, roads, sidewalks, and crosswalks were all created to be navigable by wheelchair users, adhering to universal accessibility standards for new urban developments,” explains Laurent Michaud, the Village director. Thanks to this foresight, only minimal adjustments are needed in these areas.

Minor Adjustments Required

Outdoors, one of the primary tasks involves marking any potentially hazardous areas. “We've added yellow and black stripes to highlight jumps that might pose a tripping hazard for the athletes,” confirms Michaud. Additionally, the City of Paris has adjusted water fountains to be accessible for wheelchair users and service animals.

Temporary ramps were also installed in key areas such as the main entrance, welcome centre, and bus station, eliminating the need for additional construction during this transitional period. Visually, the Village’s appearance will require minimal changes. Most areas were originally decorated with both Olympic and Paralympic symbols, or none at all. “Our main task is to replace the Olympic rings with the Paralympic Agitos in various locations,” says Michaud.

Accessible Apartments and Facilities

Within the Village apartments, only those with at least one bathroom adapted for people with reduced mobility (PRM) will be used. This reduces the required number of beds from 14,000 during the Olympics to 9,000 for the Paralympics, allowing for a more concentrated use of space. Michaud reveals, “We’re adding temporary grab bars in the bathrooms and wheelchairs in the showers to facilitate transfers.”

In terms of aesthetics, the departure of the Olympic athletes has prompted a subtle change. “The Olympic athletes were gifted their comforters, so we're replacing them with ones for the Paralympic athletes, changing the bed colour from blue to green,” notes Michaud.

Paralympic Village Services and Training Facilities

The services provided in the Paralympic Village will remain largely unchanged from the Olympic Games, with a hairdresser, mini-market, restaurant, laundries, Fitness Centre, and Village Club all still available. “We’ve made a few modifications, such as lowering some counters in the restaurant to improve accessibility. The toilets were already accessible, but we’ve adjusted the buffet heights and removed about a third of the chairs to allow wheelchair access to the tables,” Michaud explains.

Training studios will also continue to be operational, offering facilities for sports like Wheelchair Fencing, Sitting Volleyball, Para Taekwondo, Para Powerlifting, Wheelchair Basketball, and Goalball. Additionally, the Paralympic Village will not only house athletes and staff but also 1,300 technical officials. “Naturally, their movements will be kept separate from those of the athletes for logistical reasons,” Michaud concludes.

With these final touches, the Athletes' Village is poised to provide a welcoming and accessible environment for the Paralympic athletes, ensuring that the spirit of inclusivity is upheld throughout the Games.