The Embassy of Canada in France (french: Ambassade du Canada en France) is the main
diplomatic mission
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually den ...
of
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by to ...
to the
French Republic
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
. As of May 2, 2018, the embassy and the Canadian Cultural Centre relocated to 130
rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
The Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré () is a street located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Relatively narrow and nondescript, especially in comparison to the nearby Avenue des Champs-Élysées, it is cited as being one of the most lux ...
in the
8th arrondissement of
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...
, which underwent renovation for that purpose. Previously, the embassy was located at 35
avenue Montaigne
Avenue Montaigne () is a street in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France.
Origin of the name
Avenue Montaigne was originally called the Allée des Veuves (widows' alley) because women in mourning gathered there, but the street has changed muc ...
, and
the Canadian Cultural Centre was located at 5 rue de Constantine in Paris.
The
Canadian ambassador's official residence is located at 135 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Paris is also home to Canada's permanent delegations to
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...
and the
OECD
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; french: Organisation de coopération et de développement économiques, ''OCDE'') is an intergovernmental organisation with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate ...
, which are housed separately. In addition, the
Government of Quebec
A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state.
In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is ...
has a delegation in Paris, which is located at 66 rue Pergolèse in the
16th arrondissement.
Délégation générale du Québec à Paris
/ref>
History
The embassy is the oldest posting in the Canadian foreign service (in its early history, the Canadian government did not view the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...
as a foreign country, as Canada formed part of the British Empire
The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...
). Canada's presence in Paris began in 1882 and was precipitated by the actions of the province of Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirte ...
. The provincial government had appointed Hector Fabre, a former journalist and senator, as its representative in France. The Canadian federal government took advantage of this presence to name him Canada's "agent" and later "commissioner" in France, although he held no diplomatic rank
Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as the order of precedence at official processions, table seating ...
or status. Fabre was theoretically supposed to report to the Canadian High Commission in London, but in practise had little oversight.
In 1911, Philippe Roy became Canada's and Quebec's "commissioner general" in France, by the appointment of the Laurier Liberals. The incoming Tory government disapproved of the potential conflicts-of-interest that could result from his serving both roles, and he resigned from the Quebec position. In 1914, as most of the foreign representatives in Paris evacuated because of the threatening German Army, Roy remained in Paris.
By January 1928, the Canadian office in Paris had been promoted to a formal legation
A legation was a diplomatic representative office of lower rank than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an ambassador, a legation was headed by a minister. Ambassadors outranked ministers and had precedence at official events. Legations ...
, and Roy became "minister" to France, presenting his credentials on September 19, 1928, but still under the British ambassador.
During the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...
, after the Fall of France
The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second World ...
in 1940, Canada's minister in Paris, Georges Vanier
Georges-Philias Vanier (23 April 1888 – 5 March 1967) was a Canadian military officer and diplomat who served as governor general of Canada, the first Quebecer and second Canadian-born person to hold the position.
Vanier was born and ...
, fled to London. Canada did not send a representative to the Vichy regime
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its ter ...
but still technically maintained relations, allowing Vanier to return to visit France several times. Once Canada shifted recognition to the Free French
Free France (french: France Libre) was a political entity that claimed to be the legitimate government of France following the dissolution of the Third Republic. Led by French general , Free France was established as a government-in-exile ...
under Charles de Gaulle, Vanier dealt with them in London. After the liberation of France
The liberation of France in the Second World War was accomplished through diplomacy, politics and the combined military efforts of the Allied Powers, Free French forces in London and Africa, as well as the French Resistance.
Nazi Germany inv ...
, the legation became an embassy and Vanier became Canada's first ambassador in 1944.
The embassy is one of Canada's largest missions in Europe, with about 60 Canada-based diplomats and 170 locally-employed staff working at the chancery and the Canadian Cultural Centre (both at 130 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré
The Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré () is a street located in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, France. Relatively narrow and nondescript, especially in comparison to the nearby Avenue des Champs-Élysées, it is cited as being one of the most lux ...
), as well as the ambassador's official residence (at 135 rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré).
See also
*Canada–France relations
The diplomatic relations between Canada and the French Republic are friendly, the importance of which centres on the history of French immigration to Canada. Canadians of French heritage make up the majority of native speakers of French in Canad ...
* List of Canadian ambassadors to France
References
External links
Official website
Official history of the Canadian mission to France
{{Authority control
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
Canada–France relations