On Isabele Ducharme and Keroul

When Isabelle Ducharme travels in Quebec, she doesn't leave home without her handy map of the Accessible Road.

Ducharme has been wheelchair-bound (sic) since she incurred a spinal-cord injury in a car accident about 20 years ago and now is an expert on travel issues faced by people with restricted mobility. The Accessible Road, a detailed guide to tourism attractions that are adapted for people with limited mobility, is one of her projects.

"I loved travelling even before the accident, so tourism seemed like the perfect thing afterward," said Ducharme, who is chairperson of the board of Kéroul, a one-stop trip adviser for travellers who are physically challenged, or visually or hearing impaired. Short for "Québec roule" (Quebec moves on wheels), Kéroul works to ensure that the approximately 900,000 Quebecers who have mobility restrictions can enjoy the best of the province - without travel restrictions.

Based in Montreal and sponsored by the Quebec government, Kéroul rates and certifies the province's cultural and tourism sites and its lodging establishments according to their accessibility.