Tourism and Disabilities - Quality Labels and Accessibility

Aquarium La Rochelle places particular emphasis on the quality of its welcome, facilities, and services. The quality labels it has been awarded reflect its ongoing commitment to excellence and accessibility. To ensure a high-quality experience for all visitors, all reception staff, for example, receive training in assisting people with disabilities.

Qualité Tourisme

Tourisme & Handicap

Others

Qualité tourisme

The Qualité Tourisme label recognizes the quality of the welcome, services, and visitor experience offered by Aquarium La Rochelle.

As the first privately operated tourist attraction in Charente-Maritime to receive this distinction, Aquarium La Rochelle is committed to a process of continuous improvement, ensuring a high-quality visitor experience for all audiences.

This recognition highlights the commitment of the Aquarium La Rochelle team to providing a personalized welcome, clear information, enhanced accessibility, and a high level of visitor satisfaction.

The quality approach is based on:

A warm and personalized welcome
Attentive and helpful staff
Clear and accessible information
Recognized quality of service
Comfortable and well-maintained facilities
Consideration of visitor feedback
A continuous improvement process aimed at enhancing the visitor experience

“The Quality Tourism approach is a valuable management tool that provides a structured methodology for meeting visitors’ expectations. It also enables Aquarium La Rochelle to be recognized today by a national quality label for work that has always been at the heart of its commitment.”

Ambre Bénier, Chief Executive Officer

Tourisme & Handicap

As the leading tourist attraction in Charente-Maritime and one of the most visited leisure sites in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, Aquarium La Rochelle welcomes nearly 800,000 visitors each year. Since its creation, it has been committed to making the discovery of the marine world accessible to as many people as possible by providing a visitor experience adapted to people with disabilities.

Aquarium La Rochelle has been awarded the French government’s Tourisme & Handicap label for accessibility relating to mobility, hearing, and cognitive impairments. As the first tourist attraction in Charente-Maritime to receive this certification, it was initially awarded the label in 2015 and successfully renewed it in 2023 for a further five-year period.

This certification recognizes the quality of the welcome, facilities, and adaptations implemented to ensure a comfortable, independent, and safe visit for visitors with disabilities.

Hearing and Visual Impairments

Aquarium La Rochelle provides an induction loop system at its ticket desks to facilitate communication between visitors and reception staff. The Auditorium, where a film about the Aquarium’s history and missions is shown, is also equipped with this system.

Free audio guides are available for visitors with visual impairments, with versions designed for both adults and children aged 4 and over. Compatible with hearing aids equipped with a T-coil (telecoil) setting, these audio guides provide additional information and fascinating anecdotes throughout the visit.

Cognitive Impairments

Aquarium La Rochelle offers an accessible and intuitive visitor route designed to make navigation easier for all visitors, including people with cognitive impairments. Thanks to clear signage, a waymarked route, and high-contrast visual cues, visitors can move easily throughout the exhibition.

For groups from specialised care and support facilities, the Aquarium provides adapted visiting arrangements, with no minimum group size, preferential rates, and a personalised welcome.

Immersed in a captivating marine environment, visitors are invited to discover the oceans in a calm and relaxing setting that encourages wonder, learning, and the contemplation of living marine species.

Mobility Impairments

Aquarium La Rochelle is fully accessible to visitors with reduced mobility. Access to the building is provided via a gentle slope, and the reception, ticketing, and cloakroom counters are all adapted for wheelchair users. Wheelchairs are available free of charge upon reservation.

Throughout the visitor route, lifts that comply with accessibility standards and adapted pathways make it easy to move between the various exhibition areas.

The aquariums and tanks are designed to be viewed comfortably from a wheelchair, while reserved seating in the Auditorium and accessible restroom facilities help ensure a comfortable visit. This allows every visitor to fully enjoy an immersive journey into the heart of the oceans.

Beyond the Qualité Tourisme and Tourisme & Handicap labels, Aquarium La Rochelle also holds a number of other certifications and distinctions that reflect its commitment to high-quality visitor services, accessibility, and sustainable development.

Accueil vélo

Awarded the Accueil Vélo label, Aquarium La Rochelle is committed to providing services and facilities tailored to cycle tourists travelling along the region’s cycling routes. Conveniently located near La Rochelle’s cycle paths, the Aquarium offers secure bicycle parking racks as well as a bicycle repair kit available at reception, allowing visitors to enjoy their visit with complete peace of mind.

More information

Vélodyssée

The Aquarium is located close to La Vélodyssée, one of France’s longest cycling routes. Stretching over 1,250 km (777 miles), this route runs from Roscoff to Hendaye along the Atlantic coast. In Charente-Maritime, nearly 150 km (93 miles) of cycle paths provide access to iconic destinations such as La Rochelle, Châtelaillon-Plage, Rochefort, Marennes, and Royan. This prime location makes the Aquarium an ideal stop to include in your cycling journey.

Discover the Velodyssée

Quality Labels and Accessibility

Hearing and Visual Impairments

Cognitive Impairments

Mobility Impairments

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