San Francisco: address book

Identity card

Currency The dollar (USD). 1 euro = 1.07 USD (Nov. 2015).

Time difference : - 9 h.

Area code +1 (United States), 415 (San Francisco), 650 (Palo Alto).

How to get there

BRITISH AIRWAYS operates around ten flights a week between Paris and San Francisco, with a stopover at London Heathrow's T5, allowing Club World business passengers to enjoy the magnificent lounge, well-stocked with international press and delicious delicacies. As an added bonus, they can enjoy a 15-minute massage at the Elemis spa. Another advantage: express check-in and security lines to make transfers easier. The British airline has just invested over €6.5 billion in customer services and the purchase of new aircraft. It will receive 12 Airbus A380s in 2016, and since this summer several flights to San Francisco have already been operated aboard these aerial pachyderms, alternating with Boeing 747s. Thanks to an ingenious layout of the business cabin, solo travellers and couples alike can now enjoy completely private spaces, with seats that recline 180 degrees. The result is a perfect night's sleep under a soft duvet. A must when the time difference is nine hours!

Tel: +33 (0) 825 825 400 Internet: www.britishairways.com

AIR FRANCE operates a daily flight between Paris and San Francisco in winter, using B777-200s equipped with business, premium and economy cabins. In summer, the airline adds a daily service by A380.

Tel.: 3654 or +33 (0)892 70 26 54 Internet: www.airfrance.com

UNITED AIRLINES operates a daily flight between Paris and the Californian city.

Internet: www.united.com

San Francisco

Hotel

Loews Regency San Francisco

This former Mandarin Oriental hotel has just passed into the hands of the American Loews group and, as a result, will be undergoing a giant renovation in 2016. In the meantime, the views from the 155 rooms on the 38th to 48th floors are as spectacular as ever. Be it over the bay, Alcatraz or the Golden Gate .... This is the highest hotel in San Francisco.

222 Sansome Street - Tel: +1 415 276 98 88 - Internet : www.loewshotels.com

Taj Campton Place
110 perfectly refined rooms, a Michelin-starred restaurant, a hushed atmosphere, all just a stone's throw from Union Square... This Leading Hotels of The World member deserves its long and solid reputation as a discreet grand hotel.
340 Stockton Street. Tel: +1 415 781 55 55 Email: camptonplace.sf@tajhotels.com Internet : www.tajhotels.com or lhw.com

Four Seasons San Francisco
Located in the heart of the business district, at the foot of the Yerba Gardens and just a stone's throw from the Moscone Convention Centre, this 277-room hotel is simply irreproachable, as you would expect from a representative of the Canadian luxury chain.
217 Stevenson Street - Tel: +1 415 633 30 00 - Internet: www.fourseasons.com

Intercontinental San Francisco

Also ideally located close to the Convention Center, this 32-storey high-rise hotel offers exceptional views as well as comfortable rooms. Business travellers can take advantage of the Club Lounge's services, which are perfectly suited to their needs, including ironing of two sets of clothes a day, free WiFi and light meals and cocktails in the evening.
888 Howard Street - Tel: +1 415 616 65 00 - Internet: www.ihg.com

Budget hotel

The Buchanan

The latest addition to the Kimpton group, which has 58 boutique hotels in 30 of America's biggest cities, has set up shop in the heart of Japantown. This is truly a little piece of Tokyo in the middle of San Francisco. The 131 rooms in this beautiful Zen hotel have exceptionally comfortable beds and almost all have balconies. The simplicity of the lines, the modernity of the little decorative touches, particularly in the lobby, the softness of the bathrobes, the softness of the sheets and the optimum price/comfort ratio... The only downside is that, as is often the case in the United States, breakfast is not included: so we're taking the opportunity to discover the lovely cafés in the area.
1800 Sutter Street. Tel: +1 415 921 40 00 - Email: charity.curtis@kimptonhotels.com Internet: www.thebuchananhotel.com or www.kimptonhotels.com

Other major business hotels

W SAN FRANCISCO
181 3rd Street - Tel: +1 415 777 53 00 Internet: www.wsanfrancisco.com

THE RITZ-CARLTON SAN FRANCISCO
600 Stockton Street - Tel: +1 415 296 74 65 - Email : rc.sforz.leads@ritzcarlton.com Internet : www.ritzcarlton.com

OMNI SAN FRANCISCO
500 California st. - Tel: +1 415 677 94 94 Internet: www.omnihotels.com

HOTEL VITALE SAN FRANCISCO

8 Mission Street - Tel: +1 415 278 37 00 - Email : bookvitale@jdvhotels.com - Internet : www.jdvhotels.com

HILTON SAN FRANCISCO UNION SQUARE
333 O'Farrell Street - Tel: +1 415 771 14 00 - Internet: www3.hilton.com

WARWICK HOTEL SAN FRANCISCO
490 Geary Street - Tel: + 1 415 928 79 00 - Email : info.sf@warwickhotels.com - Internet : warwickhotels.com

Restaurants

Parallel 37

Chef Michael Rotondo trained in London before settling on the West Coast a few years ago. Drawing his inspiration from the region, he is an avid visitor to organic markets and is interested in the many citrus fruits that grow under the Californian sun: blood lemons, yuzu and even finger lime, a surprising fruit full of tiny acidic pearls. He dresses his dishes with a perfectly balanced creativity. On the menu: sea urchins from Santa Barbara or lamb from the surrounding hills. Everything is local, except for the Maine lobster and Alaskan halibut.
600 Stockton Str. - Tel: +1 415 773 6168 - Email: rc.sforz.leads@ritzcarlton.com - Internet : www.ritzcarlton.com

Belga
This brand new restaurant with a Belgian flavour is all the rage among San Franciscan foodies. The concept, as you can imagine, is a trendy one: a bistro spirit revisited in a hip version, with simple but high quality products, in particular the mussels and chips served with a beer made in Belgium. Why not try it?
2000 Union Street - Tel: +1 415 872 73 50 - Email : info@beglasf.com - Internet : belgasf.com

Alta
One of the last remaining San Franciscan restaurants, Alta is a warm and welcoming place. Delicacies include oysters with rhubarb, aubergine pierogi and trout with sorrel. Dessert creations include shamallows and walnuts, and pavlova with almond, peach and shiso leaves.
1420 Market Street - Tel :+1 415 590 25 85 - Email : info@altaca.co - Internet : altaca.co

Silicon Valley

Hotels

Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel

One of the most technologically advanced hotels in the region, it's quite a feat in the middle of Silicon Valley, where outdated equipment is simply out of the question. But this establishment is also a place of pure delight, set back a little from Redwood City and the traffic, on the former site of an aquatic theme park, facing a very pretty lake. You come here to work efficiently in a relaxed setting. In the restaurant, in the lounges, and at all hours, the activity is vibrant. Here, contracts are signed over coffee or cocktails. But the 421 rooms, renovated in 2013, most of which overlook the swimming pool, offer total relaxation. New renovation projects are underway in the lobby, because nothing here is set in stone. Some very 'French Touch' classics are on the menu, such as the almond croissants, freshly prepared in the hotel's patisserie. An idyllic setting for a studious yet exotic stay.
223 Twin Dolphin Drive, Redwood City. Tel: +1 650 598 90 00 Email: H0922@sofitel.com Internet : www.sofitel.com

Fairmont San Jose

This hotel is large, as much for its size - 808 beautiful rooms spread over 20 floors - as for the quality of its services and facilities: meeting rooms, spa, outdoor swimming pool, attentive staff. And it's only a few kilometres from San Jose international airport.
170 South Market Street, San Jose. Tel: +1 408 998 19 00 Email: sanjose@fairmont.com Internet: www.fairmont.com/san-jose

Four Seasons Silicon Valley
Luxury, relaxation and efficiency could define this establishment, worthy of the Canadian brand that needs no introduction. Located in Palo Alto, right in the heart of the high-tech action, it's an ideal base from which to explore Silicon Valley.
2050 University Avenue, East Palo Alto. Tel: +1 650 566 12 00 - Internet: www.fourseasons.com/siliconvalley

Budget hotel

Aloft Cupertino
Just a stone's throw from Apple's headquarters, the Starwood group's young and trendy brand has hired a futuristic butler, A.l.o, a little robot in charge of room service. 123 rooms with very high-speed internet access and, of course, Apple TVs.
10165 North De Anza Boulevard, Cupertino - Tel: +1 408 766 7000 Internet: www.aloftcupertino.com

Other major business hotels

WESTIN PALO ALTO
675 Camino Real, Palo Alto. Tel: +1 650 321 44 22 Email: westinreservations@pahotel.com - Internet: www.starwoodhotels.com

ROSEWOOD SAND HILL
2825 Sand Hill Road, Menlo Park. Tel: +1 650 561 15 00 Email: sandhill@rosewoodhotels.com - Internet : www.rosewoodhotels.com

Restaurants

L.V. Mar
Mexican chef Manuel Martinez's brand new restaurant offers Latin-inspired cuisine, combining Central American dishes with those from the south of the continent. You'll find ceviches, tacos and enchiladas of the highest refinement. Unusual herbs and plants, such as huitlacoche, a mushroom with a truffle flavour, are used in pumpkin sauces and spicy guacamoles. Having cut his teeth at San Francisco's One Market, one of the Bay Area's best-known Michelin-starred restaurants, Martinez knows how to come up with tasty surprises. Even his desserts.
2042 Broadway, Redwood City - Tel: +1 650 241 31 11 - Internet: lvmar.com

Lure + Till

Chef Patrick Kelly, who trained in some of San Francisco's top restaurants, is a fan of Californian cuisine. On the lookout for all the fruit, vegetables, fish, cheese and meat that can be produced in the Bay Area, he likes to combine flavours, for example mixing ricotta, red beetroot and buckwheat seeds or marrying octopus with a lemon confit and white beans or making rabbit pudding, making his own pasta and inventing sorbets according to the season...
180 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto. Tel: +1 650 666 33 20 Website: www.lureandtill.com

It's Italia
In the village of Half Moon Bay, there's an Italian restaurant stocked with extra-fresh local produce and a pretty patio with Mexican accents, perfect for an al fresco lunch. In autumn, pumpkins are in the spotlight, as they grow in abundance in these parts. In salads, soups, gnocchi and even risotto. 401 Main St, Half Moon Bay. Tel: +1 650 726 44 44 Internet: itsitaliarestaurant.com

Practical guides

SAN FRANCISCO CARTOVILLE, Gallimard (2015); SAN FRANCISCO IN A FEW DAYS, Lonely Planet Guide (2014); SAN FRANCISCO, Wallpaper, Phaïdon City Guide (2014); SAN FRANCISCO TOP 10, Hachette.

Preparing your trip

VISIT CALIFORNIA > Internet: www.visitcalifornia.fr

SAN MATEO COUNTY SILICON VALLEY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU > 111 Anza Blvd, Ste. 410. Burlingame - Tel: +1 650 348 76 00 - Email: info@smccvb.com - Internet: www.smccvb.com

SAN FRANCISCO TRAVEL > 900 Market Street - Tel: +1 415 391 20 00 Email: VVIC1@sanfrancisco.travel Internet : www.sanfrancisco.travel

Conference centres

MOSCONE CENTER > 747 Howard Street - Tel: +1 415 974 40 00 Email: events@moscone.com - Internet : www.moscone.com

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO CONFERENCE CENTER
255 South Airport Boulevard - Tel: +1 650 877 87 87 - Email: hotline@ssfconf.com Internet : www.ssfconf.com

Information

SAN FRANCISCO FRENCH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE > 26 O'Farrell St., Suite # 500 - Tel: +1 415 442 47 17 Email: info@faccsf.com - Internet : www.faccsf.com

BUSINESS FRANCE SAN FRANCISCO
88 Kearny Str., Suite # 600 - Tel: +1 415 397 43 30 Internet: www.consulfrance-sanfrancisco.org

SAN JOSE SILICON VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
101 W Santa Clara St, San Jose - Tel.: +1 408 291 52 50 Email: membership@sjchamber.com - Internet : www.sjchamber.com