Time difference Ivory Coast

When it's midday in Côte d'Ivoire, it's an hour later in France, Belgium or Switzerland, and two hours later when these countries are on summer time (there is no time change in Africa).

Opening hours Ivory Coast

To see / To do Ivory Coast

Generally speaking, in Africa and Côte d'Ivoire, daily life begins at the first light of dawn. In large cities, due to transport, shops open and close a little later than in medium-sized towns. For shops, opening and closing hours are approximately as follows: between 7:30 and 9 am in the morning, between 5 pm and 7 pm in the evening, some shops such as supermarkets remain open until 8 pm and beyond. Banks generally operate during the day (8am to 2pm or 3pm), and most services and administrations close around 4pm. An Ivorian or expatriate worker's day usually ends between 5 and 6 pm.

Enjoying yourself Ivory Coast

Please bear in mind that opening days and times, as well as establishment prices, are indicative only, as this type of information is subject to (sometimes untimely) change and (particularly) variable geometry in Abidjan. Of course, as everywhere else in the world, when it comes to lunch or dinner in trendy restaurants, remember to book at weekends.
As for the maquis, phoning half an hour in advance to place your order may prove useful and save you a long wait. Once you're there, all you have to do is put your feet under the table and wait for your food to arrive, while enjoying a cold beer to whet your appetite. When it comes to Ivorian cuisine, it's worth noting that waiting times can vary considerably depending on the dish you choose. Grilled and braised dishes, for example, take much longer to prepare than sauces (seed, peanut, leaf, etc.). One gourmet is worth two.

Take a break Ivory Coast

Cafés in major cities are open during the day and close at around 5pm, while bars are open non-stop during the day and very late at night, often depending on crowds. The party is omnipresent in the Ivorian maquis open late at night.

(To) please yourself Ivory Coast

Store opening hours are similar to those in France, although some close a little earlier, around 6pm. A good idea is to visit villages of craftsmen specialized in a particular type of manufacture (pottery, weavers, blacksmiths, etc.), which are mostly found in the countryside and more particularly in the north of the country, in the Sénoufo region. You need to go there during the day to see the craftsmen at work. Abidjan is full of designer stores and fashion concept stores, and it would be a pity not to visit them to bring back beautiful souvenirs and gifts.

Get out Ivory Coast

While the restaurants close around midnight, there's no real closing time for the clubs: the party goes on all night long, as long as the dance floor is lively! Ivoirians love to get drunk and go out in all the country's cities.