When we talk about accessibility, most people immediately think about:
➡️ Ramps
➡️ Elevators
➡️ Accessible parking spaces
➡️ Regulations and compliance
And of course, those things matter.
But honestly?
I don't think that's the biggest challenge.
The real issue lies somewhere else.
The real issue is that accessibility is still seen as something that concerns other people.
People using wheelchairs.
Older adults.
People living with disabilities.
In short... someone else.
But reality is very different.
At some point in life, accessibility concerns all of us.
After an accident.
Because of an illness.
As we get older.
Or simply because an environment was designed without considering our needs.
That's where everything changes.
Because accessibility is not primarily about regulations.
It's about anticipation.
It's about a society asking itself:
"What if it were me tomorrow?"
I grew up alongside a cousin living with a disability.
Very early on, I learned something important.
The disability is not always the barrier.
More often than not, the real barrier is what we failed to anticipate.
A building.
A service.
A digital tool.
A sidewalk.
A process.
A habit.
Accessibility is not about creating exceptions for a few people.
It's about building a world where everyone has a place.
And as long as we continue to see accessibility as a regulatory obligation rather than a human investment, we'll keep missing the point.
Maybe the real accessibility challenge in France is not the lack of solutions.
Maybe it's the lack of collective awareness.