TRADUCTEUR D’ESPACE
CRÉATEUR DE LIEN
CRÉATEUR DE LIEN
27 avril 2025
Really? Because without sight, it would be impossible to feel the thrill of a rollercoaster, laugh at an aquatic attraction or experience the excitement of a fairytale world? This preconceived notion illustrates a reality that is all too often ignored: the way in which play environments are designed still excludes a section of the population, not by choice, but by lack of foresight.
Posté par Sylvain dans : Accessibility and Inclusion (En)
Contents
In the collective imagination, an amusement park represents an interlude of lightness, joy and sharing. But for visually impaired and blind people, this escapade can quickly become an obstacle course invisible to others. From the moment they enter, orientation is a problem: maps are exclusively visual, signage is difficult to spot, and this becomes even truer when the premises are crowded, the aisles are full of visitors and the crowds mask or blur the visual cues available. The absence of tactile or acoustic elements makes navigation hazardous.
The sound environment, which is often intense, masks the auditory cues that are essential for good orientation. Queues can be a source of confusion if they are not signposted or explicitly guided. Announcements, sometimes only broadcast on screens, are not relayed by voice. Added to this is an often underestimated factor: the gaze of others, sometimes pitying, sometimes impatient, rarely understanding.
Under these conditions, it is impossible to enjoy the visit freely. The lack of independence leads to mental fatigue and constant tension, making every journey an effort rather than a pleasure.
In a theme park, the magic goes far beyond the visual. Each themed world is based on a global immersion, made up of sounds, smells, textures and vibrations. The sound of the train hurtling along the tracks, the bursts of enthusiastic voices, the soundscapes specific to each zone, the smells of sweets, the physical sensations provided by the movable seats, the tactile decorations that line certain routes... all this makes up an experience that vision alone is not enough to grasp.
People with visual impairments perceive these environments differently, but with the same intensity. Their relationship with space passes through other sensory channels, often finer and more attentive. They are experts at reading ambience through sound, texture, temperature and rhythm. Their experience can be just as rich, or even more immersive, if it is made accessible.
Despite a number of positive initiatives put in place in some parks, such as sensory trails and individualised reception, the experience often remains incomplete for visually impaired and blind visitors. The sensory environment is there, rich, immersive and stimulating... but access to it remains partially blocked. The sensory experience, although within easy reach, can quickly become frustrating if it is not accompanied by genuine autonomy of movement and understanding of the space.
This discrepancy creates a strange impression: that of a living, pulsating world, but one that still lacks the key to entry. Like a vibrant show whose doors are ajar, but whose backstage remains blurred for those who see it differently.
It's not a question of not being able to find your way around or understand how a park works. What is lacking is the ability to adapt the environment to specific needs. Digital tools are often presented as miracle solutions, but this vision obscures a much more nuanced reality.
Only 14% (sources FAF and AGEFIPH) of visually impaired people use smartphone applications for all purposes, including orientation. And even among those who can, many prefer not to use them in places like amusement parks. There are two reasons for this: on the one hand, the fear of seeing their battery run down - a phone remains a vital tool for getting home; on the other, the real risk of theft. A hand-held phone becomes an easy target. It's impossible to run after a thief when you can't see where they are. This constant stress discourages many users from using their smartphone, but it's not the only reason. The orientation applications available today often lack precision and reliability. For a visually impaired person, this uncertainty in directions can create a feeling of insecurity or lead to travel errors that are difficult to make up for. This lack of confidence in digital tools makes it all the more important to offer alternative solutions that are genuinely designed for independent, fluid and reassuring navigation. This is precisely what Virtuoz offers: a clear, stable and accessible experience that is not dependent on a telephone or an external signal.
Thinking of accessibility solely through the prism of connected technology means leaving out 86% of visually impaired visitors and depriving them of the opportunity to really understand the space so they can find their way around more easily and enjoy their experiences to the full.
Virtuoz has been designed to meet a fundamental need: to understand a space, integrate it mentally, and move around freely, without dependency or stress. For visually impaired or blind people, this starts with being able to experience the organisation of a space in a way that is not possible with sight. Virtuoz is based on the way visually impaired people move around, which involves memorising a path using a series of sensory cues. These cues can be fixed elements in the real environment or, in the case of Virtuoz, precise tactile symbols on the 3D map, accompanied by multilingual audio information activated simply by touch.
This approach enables users to build up a faithful, structured mental representation of the space, in line with their own travel habits. In a dense environment such as an amusement park, this ability to anticipate trajectories, identify quiet areas, locate services or avoid busy spots is essential to maintaining a fluid visit. Nothing depends on a screen, a connection, or even a personal tool: the information is directly integrated, accessible at all times, without friction.
And it is precisely this ease of use that transforms the relationship with the space being visited.
It's no longer just about finding your way. It's about feeling free to explore, to choose your itinerary, to change it along the way, as you wish, at your own pace.
Autonomy does not need complex or intrusive technologies. It's based on precise information, available where it's needed, accessible to the touch, as close as possible to the route taken.
The strength of Virtuoz lies not only in its ability to provide guidance. It lies in the way it transforms a simple visit into a fully lived, chosen and adaptable experience. For the visually impaired, this change is profound. It is no longer a question of following, waiting for or being subjected to the decisions of a guide or the constraints of a group. It becomes possible to suggest a route, to decide to stop, to take the initiative for a diversion. The visitor is once again in the driving seat of his or her own visit.
And this autonomy does not stand in the way of support. It enriches it. It allows people to alternate roles according to their desires, energy and needs at the time. A person can come accompanied and, at certain moments, choose to move forward alone, to show a direction to their loved ones, to initiate a discovery. These are micro-decisions, often invisible to others, but profoundly significant. Saying "I want to go there", or "I know which way to go", even occasionally, changes your relationship with space and with yourself. And sometimes it's not just for oneself: a visually impaired person can also guide a sighted relative, suggest an itinerary, or suggest a diversion. This ability to guide others reverses the usual roles and reminds us that autonomy is not just about not being dependent, but also about being able to contribute, initiate and pass on.
It means being able to choose: to follow, to guide, to explore, to watch. Change your position according to the moment.
This allows a certain flexibility, a sense of freedom in the way you experience the visit.
Everyone keeps their own pace, adapting the experience to who they are and what they want to experience.
Whether visiting alone, as a couple, with family or friends, Virtuoz does not replace human ties: it makes them more balanced, fairer and more shared. Autonomy is not an end in itself. It becomes a way of being part of the place, the group, the moment, with greater freedom and serenity.
Designing truly inclusive theme parks is not just a regulatory obligation. It's a practical way of enhancing the experience of every visitor, whatever their abilities. A visually impaired or blind person is not looking for a special place, but fair access to adventure, emotions and shared memories.
Adapting an environment also benefits other visitors: children too young to read the signs, the elderly, large families, foreign tourists. An accessible site is one that is easier to read, more fluid and more comfortable for everyone.
Amusement parks that take this route gain in brand image, win the loyalty of a wider public, and are part of a social innovation approach. Inclusion is not a burden. It's an opportunity to open wide the doors of wonder.
The Tourisme & Handicap state label recognises establishments that make a concrete commitment to effective accessibility for all four types of disability. Virtuoz is a benchmark in terms of solutions adapted to the visually impaired, enabling everyone to find their way around tourist attractions, including theme parks, independently, intuitively and sensorially.
A full article on this subject can be found in our press review:
Accessible Tourism - A "space translator" for the blind and partially sighted.
Amusement parks that take this route gain in brand image, win the loyalty of a wider audience, and are part of a social innovation approach. Inclusion is not a burden. It's an opportunity to open wide the doors of wonder.
Amusement parks are designed to amaze. But as long as accessibility is only partial, that wonder is reserved for a small proportion of the public. Visually impaired and blind people are no less keen to share these moments, to laugh, to thrill and to discover. They simply need the spaces to be designed so that they can be understood and used by everyone, whatever their way of finding their way around or interacting with the environment.
Virtuoz does not promise to solve everything. It does not make a place magical. It makes access possible. It gives people back the choice, the impetus, the right to find their way around on their own, to take others with them, to enjoy an experience without being reduced to the role of spectator or follower. It transforms the space into a field of exploration, and the visit into a moment lived to the full.
Making a park accessible is not about a little extra. It's about choosing an extraordinary experience in which every visitor, whatever their way of seeing and moving around, can play a full part. It means recognising that accessibility is not a constraint, but an essential condition for ensuring that discovery, joy and surprise are truly open to all. What if wonder were to become truly universal?
Of course they do. Like everyone else, they enjoy the relaxation, the leisure, the sharing and the thrills. What holds them back is not a lack of desire, but the absence of practical adaptations to enable them to find their way around independently and understand the attractions.
The lack of raised maps, tactile or audible signage and clearly identifiable routes makes it very difficult to get around. Crowds can also obscure any remaining visual cues. What's more, important announcements are often only visual (signs or screens), which excludes some visitors.
Only 14% of visually impaired people use applications for all their purposes. And even those who could often prefer not to use them in an amusement park. They fear draining their battery, which is essential for getting home, or having their phone stolen, as it is often hand-held. In addition, the variety of indoor and outdoor spaces and the density of visitors means that mobile applications cannot be accurate and reliable, creating a feeling of insecurity among users.
If the park is equipped with adapted solutions, such as relief maps accompanied by audio information, it is perfectly possible to find your way around independently. These tools allow you to build up a mental representation of the space, choose your route and enjoy a fluid experience.
Virtuoz combines a tactile 3D map with multilingual audio information. It requires no smartphone, no network and no application to install. It respects the way visually impaired people move around naturally, by memorising landmarks, and allows them to visit a park as they wish, at their own pace.
Yes, as long as the park offers appropriate facilities. Accessibility does not necessarily mean being accompanied. It's about being able to move around on your own, make choices and enjoy every area without being permanently dependent on a third party.
Absolutely. An accessible park attracts more visitors, improves the experience for all profiles, and demonstrates a sincere commitment to inclusion. It's not just an expense or a budget constraint, it's much more than that. It's an act of commitment, respect and openness to all ways of perceiving, feeling and moving around a place. It's also a way of enabling everyone to live the experience to the full, with the same intensity, freedom and joy as other visitors.
Install maps in relief, provide audio information, train staff to welcome visually impaired visitors, adapt visitor routes so that they can be understood without vision. And above all, include the people concerned right from the design stage.