French president Emmanuel Macron to visit New Orleans on Friday

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Emmanuel Macron announced plans to travel to New Orleans next Friday (Dec. 2), the first visit to the city by a French president in 46 years.

The French newspaper Le Figaro reported that Macron plans to tour the French Quarter and meet with Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards to discuss climate issues and to announce a fund to support French language education in American schools.

It is unclear whether Mayor LaToya Cantrell will have a role in hosting Macron’s visit. Her office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Macron’s visit will be just the third by a French president to its former colony of New Orleans, according to Le Figaro. Charles de Gaulle visited New Orleans in 1941, and Valery Giscard d’Estaing followed in 1976.

Macron tacked his Louisiana journey onto the end of his first state visit to the United States since 2018. Macron first will spend two days in Washington DC, meeting with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and being honored with a state dinner at the White House.

Macron is expected to arrive in Washington on Wednesday, enjoy the state dinner Thursday, arrive in New Orleans on Friday and then return to France later Friday evening.

I sincerely hope all of our American friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving yesterday as we had yesterday with good friends and family. I am grateful for the strong Franco-American friendship as we look ahead to next week's State Visit of President Emmanuel Macron.
— Philippe Etienne (@Ph_Etienne) November 25, 2022