Identity card
Currency In December 2010, 1 euro = 1.33 Canadian dollars (CAD).
Area code : + 1 (Canada), 416 (Toronto)
Time difference : - 6 hours
How to get there
Air Canada. The Canadian airline, a member of Star Alliance, offers seven weekly direct flights from Paris to Toronto. In 2010, Air Canada was voted best airline in North America in a global survey of business travellers. Its new "Going the Distance" theme, adopted last February to illustrate an expanded range of products and services, highlights an enhanced travel experience, notably with its Maple Leaf lounges and new screens at every seat. The airline is also offering a growing number of direct connections between Toronto and other major North American cities such as Phoenix and New Orleans. Tel: 0825 880 881 - Fax: 01 44 50 20 04 Internet: www.aircanada.com/fr/
Air France operates eight flights a week from Paris. Tel: 0820 320 820 - Internet: www.airfrance.com
Hotels
Intercontinental Toronto centre. Located between the entertainment and financial districts, this 586-room hotel, built in the 1980s, took on the InterContinental name in 2004. At the same time, the whole hotel changed. In 2009, more than $119 million was invested in comprehensive improvements, particularly on the Club floors, where 90 Executive rooms offer a remarkable view of Lake Ontario. In addition to 2 sumptuous boardrooms, each costing a million dollars and equipped with a video conferencing system worthy of the Oval Office, a 24/7 service has been introduced. It is the only hotel in Toronto to be directly connected to the Toronto Metro Convention Centre. 225 Front Street West - Tel: +1 416 597 1400 - Fax: +1 416 597 8128 - Internet: www.ichotelsgroup.com
Hyatt Regency Toronto. From the outside, the Hyatt Regency may have taken on a few wrinkles, but its 394 rooms remain highly worthy of the brand. Located in the heart of the financial district, on the famous King Street, the Hyatt also offers the advantage, for film buffs, of being 'next door' to the Bell Lightbox, home of the Toronto Film Festival, of which it has become one of the official hotels. 370 King Street West - Tel: +1 416 343 1234 Fax: +1 416 599 7394 Internet: http://torontoregency.hyatt.com
Sheraton centre Toronto. Located opposite Toronto City Hall, the Sheraton is one of the city's most ideally placed hotels. What's more, it's linked to the PATH, a network of 25 kilometres of underground passages... Handy at -25 C in winter! This hotel giant offers no fewer than 1,377 rooms. 123 Queen Street West - Tel: +1 416 361 1000 Fax: +1 416 947 4854 - E-mail: Guestservice.00271@sheraton.com - Internet: www.sheratontoronto.com or www.starwoodhotels.com
Hilton Toronto. Right next to the new opera house, halfway between the business district and Downtown Toronto, the Hilton offers 600 rooms perfectly equipped for business stays. 145 Richmond Street West - Tel: +1 416 869 3456 Fax: +1 416 869 3187 - E-mail: info_toronto@hilton.com - Internet: www1.hilton.com
RAadisson admiral hotel Toronto Harbourfront. This 220-room contemporary hotel offers all the benefits of a large business hotel with a boutique twist. Peacefully located on the shores of Lake Ontario, it is only a few minutes' walk from the CN Tower, the Toronto Convention Centre metro station and the Direct Energy Centre. In summer, guests can enjoy a lovely outdoor swimming pool overlooking the lake. Internet access is free. 249 Queen's Quay West - Tel: +1 416 203 3333 Fax: +1 416 203 3100 - Internet: www.radisson.com
Other major business hotels
Park Hyatt Toronto 4. Avenue Road - Tel: +1 416 925 1234 Fax: +1 416 924 4933 E-mail: reservationstorph@hyatt.com Internet: http://parktoronto.hyatt.com
Four seasons Toronto. 21 Avenue Road Tel: +1 416 964 0411 - Fax: +1 416 964 2301 Internet: www.fourseasons.com/toronto
Soho metropolitan hotel Toronto. 318 Wellington Street West. Tel: +1 416 599 8800 Fax: +1 416 599 8801 E-mail: reservations@soho.metropolitan.com Internet: www.metropolitan.com/soho
Novotel Toronto centre. 45 The Esplanade - Tel: +1 416 367 8900 Fax: +1 416 360 8285 E-mail: novotel.torontocentre@accor.com Internet: www.novotel.com
Intercontinental Toronto Yorkville. 220 Bloor Street West - Tel: +1 416 960 5200 Fax: +1 416 960 8269 - E-mail: Rolf.Kenda@ihg.com Internet: http://toronto.intercontinental.com
Budget hotels
Gladstone hotel. This small 37-room Art Hotel is housed in a magnificent Victorian building dating from the 1880s. 1214 Queen Street West - Tel: +1 416 531 4635 E-mail: reservations@gladstonehotel.com Internet: www.gladstonehotel.com
Cosmopolitan hotel Toronto. An "urban oasis" in the heart of the city, this resolutely zen 4-star hotel offers 97 suites on 25 floors in Toronto's financial district at very affordable prices. 8 Colborne Street - Tel: +1 416 945 5455 - Fax: + 1 416 350 2460 - E-mail: info@cosmotoronto.com Internet: http://cosmotoronto.com
Four points by Sheraton Toronto Lakeshore. Starwood's most affordable line of hotels offers all the amenities of a grand business hotel just steps from downtown Toronto. 1926 Lake Shore Boulevard West Tel: +1 416 766 4392 - Fax: +1 416 766 1278 Internet: www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints
Restaurants
George. Chef Lorenzo Loseto scours the city's markets in search of the best produce. And the results are there: strong flavours and sometimes surprising combinations of fresh foie gras and cardamom, scallops and Brazil nuts. The setting is both exclusive and warm, a renovated 19th-century chocolate factory dominated by wood, polished concrete and painted brick. In summer, you can also sample the pleasures of the charming interior courtyard. 111C Queen Street East - Tel: +1 416 863 6006 Internet: www.georgeonqueen.com
Auberge du Pommier. The first establishment in the Oliver & Bonacini group - which owns some of Toronto's best restaurants - this place, dedicated to French cuisine and housed in an 1860s cottage, lends itself perfectly to business meals. You'll be more than happy to invite your counterparts to this little piece of Ontario's Hexagon, even if the boeuf bourguignon is prepared with meat straight from Wellington County. 4150 Yonge Street, North of York Mills - Tel: +1 416 222 2220 Fax: +1 416 222 2580 - E-mail: auberge@oliverbonacini.com Internet: www.oliverbonacini.com
Globe Bistro. A casual chic place, trendy and relaxed; an elegantly contemporary canteen off the beaten track of the financial district. The concept: local ingredients for a cuisine that respects the environment. The motto: "Eat Local, Think Global". The menu's originality: elk meat, Lake Erie trout, Canadian oysters... 124 Danforth Avenue - Tel: +1 416 466 200 Internet: www.globebistro.com
Conference centre
? Metro Toronto convention centre > The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada's largest convention centre. It offers 64 meeting rooms and a 1,330-seat auditorium in the heart of the city. 255 Front Street - Tel: +1 416 585 8000 - E-mail: info@mtccc.com - Internet: www.mtccc.com
? Direct energy centre > 100 Princes' Bd. - Tel: +1 416 263 3000 - Fax: +1 416 263 3029 E-mail: info@directenergycentre.com - Internet: www.directenergycentre.com
? Toronto congress centre > 650 Dixon Road - Tel: +1 416 245 5000 - Fax: +1 416 245 4923 E-mail: gem@torontocongresscentre.com - Internet: www.torontocongresscentre.com
? CNIB centre > 1929 Bayview Avenue - Tel: +1 416 486 2500 - Fax: +1 416 480 7700 E-mail: facilities@cnib.ca - Internet: http://www.cnib.ca/en/about/facility/Centre
Information
? Tourism Toronto > Toronto Convention & Visitors Association, 207 Queens Quay West - Tel: +1 416 203 2600 - Fax: +1 416 203 6753 - E-mail: toronto@torcvb.com - Internet: www.seetorontonow.com
? Ubifrance Economic Mission in Toronto > 20 Queen Street West Suite 2004 - Tel: +1 416 977 1257 - Fax: +1 416 977 7944 - E-mail: canada@ubifrance.fr - Internet: http://www.ubifrance.fr
? Invest Toronto > Suite 901, 225 King Street West - Tel: +1 416 981 3888 - Fax: +1 416 646 2993 E-mail: investmentservices@investtoronto.ca - Internet: www.investtoronto.ca
? French Chamber of Commerce in Canada > 124, Merton Street, Suite 301A Tel: +1 647 352 1033 - E-mail: info@ccfcto.ca - Internet: www.ccfcmtl.ca
? Ontario chamber of commerce > 505 - 180 Dundas Street West - Tel: +1 416 482 5222 Fax: +1 416 482 5879 - E-mail: info@occ.on.ca - Internet: http://occ.on.ca
Practical guides
? Canada, Guide Voir, Hachette, 2008: a guide packed with illustrations. Ideal for dreaming before you leave and for familiarising yourself with the country.
? Canada, Michelin Green Guide, 2009: the Green Guide needs no introduction, but it contains a wealth of information about the country.
? Western Canada and Ontario, Lonely Planet, 2009: complete and recent.
? Canada West and Ontario, Guide du Routard, 2010: this is without doubt the most recent and lightest guide to take with you.
? Toronto, Phaidon Wallpaper City Guide, 2008: admittedly, it's only available in English and one or two addresses are already out of date, but this guide really does list the city's most cutting-edge venues. And the ones best suited to business travellers.
? Toronto, Ulysses Guide: available as a pdf version, compatible with iPad and iPhone, and as a paper version.
