Anne-Elizabeth d'Acremont is a high-level athlete who trains in wheelchair basketball and rugby every evening until 10 pm, travels across France and manages communications for her Paris club. But since April 10, her life has become "very complicated." The elevator in her apartment building in Saint-Ouen, a suburb north of Paris, has been out of service for safety reasons. The building management turned to the insurance company and an expert was brought in, but "everyone is passing the buck" and no repairs are in sight. For nearly seven weeks, d'Acremont, who uses a wheelchair, has been stuck at home on the third floor. "I have to rely on neighbors, family or a charity, but they are not always available. I have had to cancel training sessions," she said. When she shared her situation, several people told her, "That's happened to us too, sometimes for months at a time."

"A breakdown is extremely disruptive. Our wheelchair is basically our legs," said Sylvain Thomas, 56, who lives with a disability. His recently built residence in the Normandy town of Louviers, designed for people with reduced mobility, has two elevators. But they are regularly out of service, sometimes both at the same time, especially during heat waves. "Two years ago, a tenant spent a night in the garbage room. The firefighters only come if you are stuck inside the elevator. It's stressful leaving home."

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