French Consulate of Cape Town

The Consulate General of France in Cape Town is a consular representation of the French Republic in South Africa. The consular district includes the three Cape provinces, Prince Edward Islands and the British territory of Saint Helena (Saint Helena Island, Tristan Da Cunha Archipelago, Ascension Island). Three honorary Consuls, in Port Elizabeth, East London and Saint Helena depend on the Consulate of Cape Town.[1] People living in Lesotho or in one in the six other South African provinces depend on the French Consulate General of Johannesburg.[2]
The Consulate General is currently located on 78 Queen Victoria Street.

Consulate General of France in Cape Town
Consulat de France au Cap
Consulat
LocationCape Town, South Africa
Address78 Queen Victoria Street
Coordinates33.9253°S 18.4239°E / -33.9253; 18.4239
AmbassadorLaurent Amar
Websitehttp://www.consulfrance-lecap.org/english

Under the authority of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development (France), the Consulate General of France is responsible for the protection and administrative affairs of French nationals settled or traveling within South Africa.

The Consulate General provides many services to the French community and those who desire to travel to France.

History

The French Consulate General in Cape Town, according to the archives of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is, the oldest in Southern Africa. In 1803, Napoleon Bonaparte nominated a certain Gaillande "superintendent of trade relations in Cape Town", equivalent to what is now the rank of Vice-Consul. His responsibility was to provide supplies to the naval division of Rear-Admiral Linois. Gaillande stayed in this post until January 10, 1806, the date when Cape Town was taken over by the English.

A Consular Agency, dependent of the French Consulate General in London, was recreated after the fall of the First Empire in June 1817 and Count des Escotais was appointed. The latter began his job on August 3, 1818. The Consular Agency was erected as a Consulate in November 1818.

The first civil status act registered in the French Consulate of Cape Town was on January 6, 1871 between Charles Marie Ernest de la Cornillière, from Cape Town and Miss Stella Hendrina Hampt, from Paarl.[3]

The French Consulate of Cape Town in 2014
View from the main balcony
78 Queen Victoria Street
Main entrance from Queen Victoria Street

Consular services

Visas service

A visa allows a foreigner and non-European Union member, to enter and travel temporarily within French territory.

The Chancellery

The chancellery provides all of administrative services to French citizens abroad. It is necessary to contact the chancellery as soon as your documents have been lost or stolen, regarding the renewal of passports or to obtain scholarships, grants, or other scholar financial aides. This service establishes itself as a direct interface between migrants and their nation of origin.

Cultural services

The Alliance Française in Cape Town possess a cultural service department that satisfies the following missions:[4]

  • Encourage French cultural productions by helping professionals and artists in South Africa,
  • Promote the French educational system by managing the careers of French teachers, professors, and research workers in the South Africa, establishing guidance for students and parents, organizing national exams,
  • Support all possible efforts towards artistic events, cultural establishments, and higher education.

France Abroad

The Consul

The current Consul General of France is Laurent Amar, incumbent since 2017.

Consuls of France in Cape TownDates
Émile Samuel Rolland? –1872
Richard Sonthen1872–1884
Comte de Tunemy1884–1887
Charles de Coutouly1888–1888
Joseph Napoleon Perrette1892–1894
Marie Jacques Achille Raffray1894–1904
Fernand Aymot1904–1905
Louis-Pierre Vossion1905–1906
Adrien Laurent Cochelet1906–1910
Émile Jore1911–1915
Consul de Belgique, Gérant du Consulat-général de France au Cap1920–1921
Paul-Marie Suzor1921–1922
Louis de Francquevilly1922–1923
Paul Suzor1923–1925
Marie Charles de Francqueville1923–1923
Henri Soiray1925–1930
Emile Feer1930–1932
Maurice de Semouin1932–1938
Marc Édouard Batezat1938–1941
Pierre Armand1941–1942
Louis Morand1942–1944
André Brénac1944–1948
Eugène Edmond Haimet1948–1952
Guy de Coulhac1953–1956
Claude Cansou1956–1961
Max de Montalembert1962–1965
Jean-Joseph Ortoli1966–1968
Louis Pannier1968–1971
Hubert Isnard1971–1973
Gilbert Février1973–1978
Marcel Fleury1978–1982
Jean Biron1982–1985
Gérard Perrolet1985–1990
Jean Michel1990–1993
Claude Berlioz1993–1996
Jean-Christophe Belliard1997–2001
Bruno Clerc2001–2005
Jean-Luc Bodin2005–2008
Denis François2008–2009
Antoine Michon2009–2013
Xavier d'Argœuves2013–2017
Laurent Amar2017–present

Honorary Consuls

Three honorary Consuls, in Port Elizabeth, East London and Saint Helena depend on the Consulate of Cape Town.[5]

French Presence

The Consulate General collaborates regularly with numerous French associations and organizations abroad.[6]

The French community in Cape Town

As of December 2013, there are about 7300 French citizens in South Africa and 2804 living in Cape Town.[7]

See also

References
  1. "French Embassy and Consulates". Consulat Général de France au Cap.
  2. "Consulat général de France à Johannesburg". johannesburg.consulfrance.org.
  3. "Brief History". Consulat Général de France au Cap.
  4. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-07-20. Retrieved 2014-06-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. "The consular district". Consulat Général de France au Cap.
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