LAPLACE — The Port of South Louisiana recently hosted the Consul General of France in Louisiana Grégor Trumel and Vice-Consul Olivia Lamy.

The Consulate’s mission is to assist and protect interests of French citizens in the United States and to facilitate cooperation and trade between the two countries.

Trumel and Port Executive Director Paul G. Aucoin spoke June 7 of Louisiana-France relations and pledged to boost Port of South Louisiana-France business partnerships.

“We’d be delighted to have other French industries join those already located in the Port of South Louisiana district, like Air Liquide and LaFarge Corporation,” Aucoin said.

Trumel was appointed as Consul General by the President of the French Republic in 2014 and has also served as First Counselor, Press Counselor and Deputy Chief of Mission at French Embassies in Paris, the Netherlands and Denmark.

Aucoin gave a presentation on the Port of South Louisiana and a tour of Globalplex Intermodal Terminal. Trumel, in turn, gave an overview of the Consulate General of France, serving the New Orleans region, as well as the entire state of Louisiana.

Those who attended included St. Charles Parish President Larry Cochran, St. John the Baptist Parish President Natalie Robottom, St. James Parish President Timothy Roussel, representatives from Louisiana Economic Development and the French-American Chamber of Commerce and Port of South Louisiana staff.