As the Olympics loom, Paris's transport grid worries wheelchair users

Franck Maille, 52, from campaign group APF France handicap, who has been in a wheelchair for most of his life due to a neuromuscular disease, takes the elevator to access the Madeleine metro station in Paris, France, August 30, 2023. REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq

PARIS (Reuters) - With just under a year to go before the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, campaigners are worried would-be spectators using wheelchairs could feel left out of the Games as only a small number of metro stations are accessible without using stairs.

With Paris streets often clogged by traffic, travelling underground is often much quicker but only 9% of metro stations can be accessed without walking up and down steps.