dwdvagamundo

My spouse has a Person with Disabilities (handicapped) tag in the US that hangs from the rear view mirror so we can park in the handicapped spaces. Will it help with parking in France if we bring it along and display it?

Cathinjoetown

This is not an official response by any means, just anecdotal, but 3 years ago a friend from the US with very serious mobility problems brought his tag which we used several times, other times we dropped him and his wife off at the door then parked further away.

A general observation, handicapped parking spots in our area (SW of Toulouse) rarely seem to be occupied but this isn't a high-traffic area.

nytraveler

If you search there was a previous thread on this. As I recall there is no official reciprocity - but it seemed to be accepted in some places - but not all.

janisj

They are not 'officially' recognized - but IME they are accepted <i>most</i> of the time. Sometimes in a staffed car park one needs to speak w/ the attendant and clear it w/ him/her.

I've been on two trips w/ someone w/ a handicap hang tag -- one to France (years ago) and one to the UK (just a few years ago) and almost everywhere we successfully used the placard. The one or two times there was a problem, as I recall it was more a language issue/miscommunication.

StCirq

I'm going to chime in with essentially the same info that cathinjoetown provided - yes, the US tag thing will likely work in France. Worked for friends of ours in the Dordogne. But there is in all likelihood an equivalent thing you can get for France, too.

CJT0427

We've successfully used one on at least two trips to France. It was never questioned. My mother used a four-wheel walker so it was obviously needed. BTW we have always found the French to be very accommodating and helpful with mobility challenges while the infrastructure there is a long way from being disabled friendly.

dwdvagamundo

Thanks everyone. We'll try it.

kerouac

I brought one of those when I brought my mother from the US and used it regularly even before I checked and found out that it was accepted in France.

I stupidly lost it, but since my mother was in France to stay, I just got a French/EU tag, which is a laminated card that you place on the dashboard.

One excellent thing to know: parking in Paris is free with a disabled tag in any normal parking space, not just the disabled spaces (which represent 2% of the parking in Paris). Of course, if you go to an underground or any other private lot, you have to pay.

TAW

We used ours just this May. In Alsace and in the Luberon. Never had a problem. It was especially handy for parking in Gordes and Rousillon

dwdvagamundo

Thanks kerouac. Don't plan to park in Paris, but that's helpful to know.