THE ERGO 08L TRAVELS THE WORLD WITH FRANCK
THE ERGO 08L TRAVELS THE WORLD WITH FRANCK !
Franck, user of the Ergo 08L folding electric chair for a year and a half, has a great passion for travel. Accompanied by his children or friends, he has already been able to discover many countries.
Suffering from an illness that affects his balance, Franck was able to start traveling without mobility solutions, then he traveled to a few destinations with a manual wheelchair. From now on, it is the ERGO 08L electric wheelchair that accompanies him on his excursions. He shares his passion through his website and wants to show that it is possible to travel even with a disability.
Can you briefly introduce yourself?
I live in La Roche sur Yvon in Vendée, and I am a native of the Paris region.
I was able to start traveling in 2017, beginning my discovery of the world with Thailand. At that time I did not yet need mobility assistance. My walking difficulties appeared gradually.
I suffer from an orphan disease of the nervous system, which today prevents me from walking for very long. Recently, I even decided to stop driving because I realize that it is becoming less obvious.
How did you discover ErgoConcept?
When my walking difficulties began, I mainly traveled in a manual wheelchair, the first time in the United States.
With my children and my friends, we agreed on the fact that the manual wheelchair for long distances is not easy. We make many visits, we move around a lot. Something clicked for me when I visited the cathedral in Florence. I met a single lady who was in an electric wheelchair. For me at the time it was inaccessible.
I spoke about it to the occupational therapist at the rehabilitation center where I am being treated. She explained to me that this type of chair existed in France, and that we could set up the procedure. Compared to my situation this was consistent. After testing several models, the ERGO 08L best suited my needs (adjustments, solidity, autonomy, etc.). I was also looking for a chair that could easily take a plane.
How does this model improve your travels?
The electric wheelchair helped us a lot during my last three trips: Spain, the plains of Scotland and also the big Japanese cities.
Switching from manual to electric helped us a lot to be able to easily travel long distances, especially for the people accompanying me. Everyone can benefit more and be more independent during the visits. And for me who really likes taking photos, I can orient myself as I want. It’s a detail but it’s very important.
And since now I’m no longer going to drive, the E08L chair will also be useful to me a little more for outings near my house.
What feedback do you give about accessibility during your travels?
PMR accessibility is very different depending on the country. From what I have visited, Japan is the best adapted and their mentality on disability is very different. People with disabilities are not necessarily a priority because they believe that they are people like others, but on the other hand everything is done to ensure good accessibility. And the least wheelchair accessible place was the Paris metro, there are no elevators, unlike the RER. Also to get on the TGV, if you are not accompanied, you have to be helped by an agent whereas the trains of other countries are fully loaded.
Hoping that with the Paralympic Games this will allow things to change. But overall there are still a lot of things that are going well, and our system for acquiring a chair is a real opportunity.
In my case between mutual insurance and social security, the acquisition was covered in full.
What if you could improve something on this product?
I am really very satisfied with the ERGO 08L. One thing I thought of to improve it would be a “reverse” button to go straight back without asking any questions, especially when getting out of the elevator. And otherwise, I rarely use the horn, because it is not loud enough when there are people. Travel plans with your chair?
Travel plans with your chair?
My son lives in Barcelona and he is having a baby so I plan to go back several times soon. And my daughter would like to visit VIENNA, that’s our project for 2025. And perhaps also afterwards to go to the other side of the United States (San Francisco / Los Angeles) ending with Canada, and Korea tempts me GOOD.
I’m lucky enough to already have my real life plans figured out, but I’m quickly getting the urge to travel again. My daughter-in-law is in Argentina, so why not also add her to my projects.
Any advice or opinions to share?
To share my taste for travel and inspire people with disabilities, I recently created my site Les Voyages de Franck . I try to develop it regularly. Traveling with a disability is doable but you need to know where you are going, how and with whom. I like taking care of the organization, it’s part of the journey for me. I look at everything first: access, comments and feedback from people if it’s accessible I have seen so many beautiful things that if people are interested, I want to tell them: Go for it!!
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