France participated in the inaugural Paralympic Games in 1960 in Rome, and has taken part in every edition of the Summer and Winter Paralympics since then. France was the host country of the 1992 Winter Paralympics. French athletes have won a total of 1,263 medals at the Paralympic Games, of which 416 is gold, placing France fourth on the all-time Paralympic Games medal table. Among its most successful competitors is swimmer Béatrice Hess, winner of 20 gold medals.