Consulate-General of France, 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
Map
LocationCape Town, South Africa
Address78 Queen Victoria Street
Coordinates33°55′40″S 18°24′54″E / 33.927814757911044°S 18.41507450731984°E / -33.927814757911044; 18.41507450731984
AmbassadorLaurent Alberti
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

edit

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

edit

Visas service

edit

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

The Chancellery

edit

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

edit

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

edit

The Consul

edit

The current Consul General of France is Laurent Alberti, incumbent since 2020.

Consuls of France in Cape Town Dates
Émile Samuel Rolland ? –1872
Richard Sonthen 1872–1884
Comte de Tunemy 1884–1887
Charles de Coutouly 1888–1888
Joseph Napoleon Perrette 1892–1894
Marie Jacques Achille Raffray 1894–1904
Fernand Aymot 1904–1905
Louis-Pierre Vossion 1905–1906
Adrien Laurent Cochelet 1906–1910
Émile Jore 1911–1915
Consul de Belgique, Gérant du Consulat-général de France au Cap 1920–1921
Paul-Marie Suzor 1921–1922
Louis de Francquevilly 1922–1923
Paul Suzor 1923–1925
Marie Charles de Francqueville 1923–1923
Henri Soiray 1925–1930
Emile Feer 1930–1932
Maurice de Semouin 1932–1938
Marc Édouard Batezat 1938–1941
Pierre Armand 1941–1942
Louis Morand 1942–1944
André Brénac 1944–1948
Eugène Edmond Haimet 1948–1952
Guy de Coulhac 1953–1956
Claude Cansou 1956–1961
Max de Montalembert 1962–1965
Jean-Joseph Ortoli 1966–1968
Louis Pannier 1968–1971
Hubert Isnard 1971–1973
Gilbert Février 1973–1978
Marcel Fleury 1978–1982
Jean Biron 1982–1985
Gérard Perrolet 1985–1990
Jean Michel 1990–1993
Claude Berlioz 1993–1996
Jean-Christophe Belliard 1997–2001
Bruno Clerc 2001–2005
Jean-Luc Bodin 2005–2008
Denis François 2008–2009
Antoine Michon 2009–2013
Xavier d'Argœuves 2013–2017
Laurent Amar 2017–2020
Laurent Alberti 2020–present

Honorary Consuls

edit

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

French Presence

edit

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

The French community in Cape Town

edit

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

See also

edit

References

edit
  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. ^ "Alliance Française - Home". Archived from the original on 2014-07-20. Retrieved 2014-06-02.
  5. ^ "The consular district". Consulat Général de France au Cap.
  6. ^ "Associations - Consulat de France au Cap". www.consulfrance-lecap.org. Archived from the original on 23 December 2011. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  7. ^ "La présence française à l'étranger - France-Diplomatie-Ministère des Affaires étrangères". www.diplomatie.gouv.fr. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
edit