We were delighted to welcome a delegation from our French Sister City in September 2023.  With an eye toward expanding existing programs and rolling out new collaborations for the 30th anniversary of the relationship in 2024, the three-member delegation spent five busy days meeting with local business leaders, Stanford University energy sector thought leaders, Palo Alto elected officials and city staff, directors at the Cantor Arts Center and the Palo Alto Arts Center, the city's sustainability team, and the directorship of Neighbors Abroad, among others. Frédéric Jung, the French Consul General in San Francisco, participated in a meeting at Palo Alto City Hall with Vice Mayor Greer Stone. Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou graciously welcomed the group at one of several lively social events. The delegation also enjoyed time in San Francisco and Carmel, where the famous Carmel Mission features a beautiful plaque in honor of Albi Native Son Jean François de Galaup, Comte de Lapérouse. 

Albi and Palo Alto were energized by the visit and look forward to strengthening their bonds in the coming years. The below photo gallery offers some highlights of the visit. ​We very much enjoyed having you here, Julie-Anne Petrilli (Abi's Hydrogen and New Mobilities Manager), Serge Labordere (Chief of Staff for the Mayor of Albi), and Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal (City Counselor for International Affairs).

The delegation enjoyed a tour of the many Rodin works at the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.

Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal, Julie-Anne Petrilli, and Serge Labordere spent their first afternoon in Palo Alto with city staff and sustainability experts. A big thanks to Deputy City Manager Chantal Gaines for gathering the city's sustainability brain trust!

It was a lovely day on the Stanford University campus. The delegation visited Memorial Church, the main quad, Hoover Tower and then had a private tour of some of the Cantor Center's European collection.

Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal was honored to present an official invitation to Cantor Arts Center Director Veronica Roberts to visit Albi and the city's museum dedicated to native son Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

While discussing future city collaborations, Palo Alto's Vice Mayor Greer Stone expressed his deep appreciation for France (he has visited the country at least nine times!).

Dinner at La Boheme wasn't the only entertainment on California Avenue. Musicians lined the street for Third Thursday festivities and Terun/Italico owner Maico Campilongo (shaking hands with Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal) showed the delegation his trademark Calabrian hospitality.

A highlight of the tour of JLS was a visit to Jacqui Kandell's French class, where her students learned about their sister city from the delegation members and asked questions about Albi.

At the Boom Oaxaca exhibit at the Palo Alto Cultural Center

Vice-Mayor Greer Stone is also a high school history and economics teacher. And it turns out that one of his students is the daughter of Neighbors Abroad board member Monica Schreiber.

Serge Labordere and Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal were quite moved to see the plaque honoring Albi's native son, Count Lapérouse, at the beautiful Carmel Mission. Lapérouse's arrival by boat in the Monterey Bay in 1786 marked the first visit by a European power to "the Spanish establishments of a then-mysterious coast."

In Carmel, the group had an outdoor lunch at tourist hot spot The Hog's Breath, owned by former Carmel Mayor and actor-director Clint Eastwood.

Carol Stevens, the first Palo Alto liaison to Albi, delighted the group with stories of the early years of the citizen-to-citizen relationship.

Referencing our new Sister City sign to see how many miles they are from home.

The group walked from City Hall to the landmark local diner Palo Alto Creamery for an al fresco dinner. Neighbors Abroad board members Bob Wenzlau and Monica Schreiber joined the group.

European Art Associate Curator Patrick Crowley discusses the work of San Francisco artist Ruth Asawa.

A meeting with Palo Alto's Vice-Mayor Greer Stone was amplified by the participation of Frédéric Jung, France's Consul General based in San Francisco (at head of table). The group discussed new ways for the city to cooperate.

After an intensive day of meetings, the delegation enjoyed a delightful dinner at California Avenue hotspot La Boheme, owned by Marie-Pierre Bac (back left), with representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, including Joan Fantazia, front left, and CEO Charlie Weidanz (not pictured), along with Neighbors Abroad board members Ed Fike and Monica Schreiber.

A tour of JLS Middle School offered a window into Palo Alto public education. Pictured here are the delegation members with Principal Chris Grierson (far right) and Administrator Sarah Pierce.

Karen Kienzle, director of the Palo Alto Art Center (second from right), invited the delegation for a private tour of a exhibit of works by Oaxacan artists.

Left to right, Serge Labordere, Mayor Lydia Kou, Sarah Burgess, Julie-Anne Petrilli, Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal. Photobombing in background: Neighbors Abroad board members Jeannet Kiessling and Bob Wenzlau.

The plaque honoring Lapérouse at the Carmel Mission.

On the delegation's last evening, they were welcomed to the home of Carol and Noel Stevens, who helped establish the sister city connection with Albi in the early 1990s. Their home is filled with art by artists from Albi.

Julie-Anne Petrilli and Noel Stevens had long conversation about the pros and cons of hydrogen power. Albi is a European leader in the production and promotion of clean-energy hydrogen.

Members of Palo Alto's sustainability team, including Christine Luong and Dr. Lena Perkins, shared information about a groundbreaking Palo Alto pilot project to encourage homeowners to make energy-efficient upgrades. They also discussed a host of other topics around how the city is advancing toward carbon neutrality. Not pictured: Brad Eggleston and Deputy City Manager Chantal Gaines.

Following a breakfast donated by local fave Douce France (merci owner Victor Marku!), Julie-Anne had a dynamic conversation with the head of Stanford University's Hydrogen Initiative, Dr. Naomi Boness.

With Veronica Roberts, Director of the Cantor Arts Center, and Patrick Crowley, Associate Curator of European Art, the group discussed potential synergies between the Cantor Arts Center and Albi's world renown Toulouse-Lautrec Museum.

Left to right in Palo Alto Council Chambers: Serge Labordere, Monica Schreiber, Jean-Luc Dargein-Vidal, Sarah Burgess, Vice-Mayor Greer Stone, Consul General Frederic Jung, and Julie-Anne Petrilli.

You gotta go to Google, even if it is a quiet Friday and there's not much to see.

Palo Alto Mayor Lydia Kou (at right, speaking to Julie-Anne Petrilli) is a tireless supporter of the city's Sister City projects and she graciously welcomed our Albi guests at a garden party hosted by Neighbors Abroad President Sarah Burgess (center).

Former Neighbors Abroad Albi VP Michel Campmas and his wife Daniele.

In front of the Carmel Mission

Another nod to Lapérouse at the Carmel Mission.