Braille is the French word for Braille, and we have previously introduced Louis Braille, the creator of Braille.
I had been thinking about the visually impaired since then, partly because I have someone close to me with eye problems, and when I learned that once a year there is an opportunity to visit a school that trains guide dogs for the blind, I went. The school is located in the 12th arrondissement of Paris, near the Vincennes Forest, and was started in 1987 as a non-profit organization to provide guide dogs free of charge to visually impaired people living in Paris and its suburbs.
After three months, the puppies are placed in the homes of puppy walkers (volunteer puppy raisers), and after one year, dogs that pass an aptitude test are placed in training. Only about 30-40% of the puppies are found to be suitable, but after one year of training, about 30 puppies make their debut as guide dogs each year. During the tour, the participants saw the newborn puppies and training, and prepared food for the visually impaired in the dark as an experience for the visually impaired.
Afterwards, I decided to visit a “dark restaurant” that I had known about for some time but had never had the chance to go to: this restaurant, “Dans le Noir ? is now expanding to other parts of the world. It is located in the 4th arrondissement of Paris.
When you arrive at your reserved time, you will leave your phone and other light-emitting items in a locker, and about six people will be gathered to take a table with you. After everyone, led by a staff member who is visually impaired, has placed their hands on the shoulders of those in front of them to prevent them from getting lost, they enter a dark area behind a door. Inside, the situation is exactly the same whether the eyes are open or closed.
I entered the room and reached my seat without much walking, but my hands were sweating, probably due to anxiety. I realize that I usually don’t see as much as this, except when I am sleeping. I sit down, relying only on the staff guide, and check the dishes and cutlery in front of me. During this time, I touch the hand of the person next to me and I am sorry! I said, “I’m sorry!” and the other person laughed, so I relaxed a little. Only the glasses are plastic. The staff also gave me some tips, such as when pouring water, you should put your finger in a little to prevent water from spilling.
It was very difficult to “pick up” the food with a fork and knife in the dark, and I was nervous about spilling the sauce on my clothes. Sometimes I had no choice but to use my hands to finally bring the food to my mouth, but I still felt “it’s delicious, but…well……… I realized that cooking is a part of enjoying food with the eyes. But because it was in the dark, we could talk with our neighbors, who were complete strangers, and ask them, “Is this a hundred? It was a very unique experience, and I had nothing but respect for the staff who worked so quickly and efficiently in the dark.
When we are done with dessert, we will lead our guide out again, placing our hands on the shoulders of those in front of us. How gratifying to be able to see! Outside, the staff shows us images of what we ate today in a lively quiz format. Everyone says, “I missed it! I got it!” and everyone ended up having a great time. The menu is a course only, starting at 66 euros.
Finally, I also visited a boutique in the 7th arrondissement that sells products for the visually impaired. It is housed in the building of a non-profit organization that supports the visually impaired. We looked with great interest at the many products on display, including magnifying glasses, Braille goods, audio weight scales, and stationery designed to be easy to use.
Although “accessibility enhancement zones” have been established in each district in the wake of the 2024 Paris Paralympics, old streets and the Paris subway are not very barrier-free. Increasing accessibility is important for everyone, including the elderly, pregnant women, people with young children, and those with injuries. It was a great benefit for me to be able to look at barrier-free and universal design from my own perspective through this experience, which until now had been somewhat of a stranger to me.
© Source travel watch