Flights to Ivory Coast from CAD 1,314*

Air France flights to Ivory Coast from Canada

The Ivory Coast is a West African country with a population of some 24 million. Its two key cities are Yamoussoukro, the capital, and Abidjan, the largest urban centre by far and economic powerhouse of the country. The time difference between the Ivory Coast and Montréal/Toronto is 5 hours. The best time of year to hop on a flight to the Ivory Coast is probably the dry season, which varies across the country, but November to February are dry for most of the country, barring the far south (including Abidjan). French (or dialects of French) are widely spoken and the local currency is the West African CFA Franc.

The Ivory Coast: full of architectural surprises!

A perhaps unexpected entry in the Guinness Book of Records is the Ivory Coast’s largest religious building – and the world’s largest church! The Basilica of our Lady of Peace was built in the mid to late 80s and was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1990. Up to 18,000 worshippers can be accommodated in this building, which boasts a dome that’s twice the diameter of St Peter’s in the Vatican City!

If we head south to Abidjan, we find another remarkable Roman Catholic church, St Paul’s Cathedral. Built in the Modernist style on a small hill offering superb views of the Bay of Cocody and the city of Abidjan, the church’s most striking component is the cross, which doubles as a tower which can be ascended for an even better panorama of the surrounding area. This structure symbolizes not just Christ’s crucifixion but also a worshipper on their knees. If you’re planning a stay in Abidjan, do visit Air France’s dedicated hotel booking page.

The far north of the country, meanwhile, is home to the Grand Mosque of Kong, a Sudanese style mud-and-stick construction of the type that are most famously associated with the town of Timbuktu in Mali. This mosque also features unique ostrich egg decorations, visible from the roof of the building.

Secular architecture that’s well worth a look can be found in the seaside town of Grand Bassam, the former French colonial capital city. The old town centre is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its colonial architecture, exemplified in the Ganamet and Resident’s house. The town also houses the National Museum of Costumes and some lovely beaches.

Tremendous natural beauty and great biodiversity make the Ivory Coast a favourite with nature-lovers

Home to a number of national parks, several of which are UNESCO World Heritage sites, the Ivory Coast, or as it’s officially known, la Côte d’Ivoire, is an excellent destination for nature-lovers. Around 700 species of bird, over 200 mammals and almost 5,000 different kinds of plants can be found in habitats ranging from mountains and montane forest to savannah, wetlands and rainforest. Comoé National Park in the country’s north-east is the largest protected area in western Africa. Its savannah areas are particularly noted for their wealth of flora and fauna. Mammals present include chimpanzees, hippopotami, waterbucks, giant pangolins, leopards and elephants. In terms of birds, iconic species like the hammerkop and various kinds of hornbill, stork and vulture will keep ornithologists happy.

The Banco National Park, meanwhile, is much easier to access from Abidjan and contains many marked walking trails. Its primary forest habitat offers shelter for many species of birds and monkey.

Before your flight to the Ivory Coast, don’t forget to check out what health measures you need to take for your trip.

Useful websites for travellers to the Ivory Coast

Get practical information and inspiration from these websites!

• canada.diplomatie.gouv.ci/contacts.php?lang=en
• tourismeci.org/agences.htm - although not in French, this website contains many contact details for travel agents and tour operators based in the Ivory Coast.
• wikitravel.org/en/C%C3%B4te_d'Ivoire
• whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ci
• travel.gc.ca/destinations/cote-d-ivoire-ivory-coast