“A love story”: Air France celebrates 75th anniversary of Montreal–Paris route

Air France celebrated the 75th anniversary of its Montreal–Paris route on Oct. 14 by bringing together around one hundred partners for an elegant cocktail dinner.

The event took place at dusk at the Tour du Grand Quai in Montreal, offering a panoramic view of the city. Some nearby buildings even lit up in the colours of France for the occasion.

Jean-Eudes de La Bretèche, general manager of Air France KLM Canada, was the first to speak, immediately thanking ADM Aéroports de Montréal and its CEO, Yves Beauchamp, for their ongoing support and collaboration in organizing the evening.

In his speech, de La Bretèche gave a brief historical overview of Air France’s Montreal–Paris route, noting that the inaugural flight took place on October 2, 1950—“415 years to the day after Jacques Cartier arrived on this territory.”

In 1950, the Lockheed Constellation 749 had to stop in Shannon and Gander before landing in Dorval, making the trip approximately 14 hours long. This was still a major improvement compared to the five days previously required to cross from Paris to Montreal by ship.

“A real revolution for travellers, but also for economic and cultural exchanges, and for perishable goods—such as charcuterie, cheese, and all products traded between our two countries,” said de La Bretèche, speaking in French,

A fleet evolving with the times

Over the decades, Air France has served Montreal with the Constellation, Super Constellation, Boeing 707, Boeing 747, Concorde (for special flights), and later the Airbus A380 for the 60th anniversary of the route in 2010.

Today, the route is operated by modern next-generation aircraft such as the Airbus A350, Boeing 777, and Boeing 787, equipped with Business, Premium Economy, and Economy cabins.

Florence Parly, chair of the Air France KLM Board, and Michel Miraillet, French Ambassador to Canada, also addressed guests, praising the historic link between France and Canada.

Among the attendees were several representatives of the travel industry from France—including Adam Oubuih (General Manager of Atout France) and Patrick Branco Ruivo (CEO and managing director of the Société d’exploitation de la Tour Eiffel)—as well as local figures such as Mélanie Paul-Hus (Atout France Canada), Nathalie Tanious (H.I.S. Canada/TravelBrands), Claude St-Pierre (Tours Chanteclerc), and Joanne Tétreault (Skylink).

Canada, a priority market

Parly, on her first trip since taking office, reminded attendees that Canada is Air France KLM’s second-largest international market after the United States.

After thanking everyone who supports this route and ensures that “customers are as satisfied as possible,” she highlighted the importance of fleet renewal—a key factor in meeting passenger expectations.

Parly also praised ADM’s efforts “to ensure that our planes and passengers are well treated,” before giving the floor to the organization’s CEO.

“We both care deeply about offering passengers the most pleasant experience and helping them discover the world,” Yves Beauchamp said.

Air France – part of the family

“With more than 650,000 passengers carried over the past year, it is clear to ADM that Air France represents a true bridge between our beautiful cities and, of course, the international stage. […] Air France is definitely part of the big YUL family,” added ADM’s CEO.

In his address to guests, Miraillet, mentioned the paradigm shift caused by Donald Trump’s return to power, which he said has sparked renewed interest in the European market—evidenced by Prime Minister Mark Carney’s choice of France as the destination for his first official trip.

The Ambassador praised Air France-KLM’s contribution to relations between France and not only Montreal but the whole of Canada.

He also expressed personal appreciation for the Paris–Ottawa route, which has been offered since June 2023.

Miraillet encouraged everyone contributing to Air France’s success in Canada “not to stop there, because the 100th anniversary is already tomorrow!”

The evening concluded with an exchange of symbolic gifts between Air France and ADM representatives, reflecting the 75th-anniversary theme: “A love story along the entire line!”

The Montreal–Paris route now operates up to four times daily in the summer, offering optimized connections to over 170 destinations worldwide via the Paris-Charles de Gaulle hub.

In addition to Montreal (1950), Air France also serves Toronto (since 1976), Vancouver (2015), Quebec City (2022), Ottawa (2023), and Pointe-à-Pitre seasonally in winter from Montreal (2021).

Overall, the airline will offer up to 36 weekly flights between Canada and France during winter 2025–2026

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