Two Vermont citizens received the highest civilian honor awarded by the government of France Monday.
To be named a Chevalier in the French Legion of Honor indicates an individual has spent more than two decades of extraordinary service promoting French relations and heritage. During a decoration ceremony at Burlington City Hall Ernie Pomerleau, Honorary Consul of France to Vermont and Lise Veronneau, Chair and President of Burlington’s Honfleur Sister City program, were bestowed the honorary knighthood for their contributions to France over the past 20 years. “In light of their decades long commitment, the French government has decided to admit Lise the into the National Order of Merit and Ernie into the French Legion of Honor. It is now my pleasure to officially induct them into these orders. Bravo."
Following the ceremony, everyone went outside as an honor guard raised a Francophonie flag to fly in front of City Hall. Consul General of France in Boston Arnaud Mentre explains that about 100 people will receive the honor this year. “The Legion of Honor is a civilian and a military honor. It’s the oldest honor we have. It was created by Napoleon Bonaparte back in 1802 so it’s a very prestigious and very old honor. And indeed only a few recipients get that honor for all their great achievements and accomplishments. So Lise Veronneau and Ernie Pomerleau they’ve made so much to promote Francophonie here in Vermont to celebrate those Francophone roots you have in this beautiful state.”
Mentre adds that recipients are chosen by the French president. “It’s actually a selection by the President of the Republic himself. There’s a Chancery which is a very old institution, three centuries so it’s a long history, and the Grand Master of the Chancery selects the nominees but in the end it’s the President of the French Republic that actually gives the award.”
Ernie Pomerleau wore his new Order of the Legion of Honor medal as he talked about how the region’s work during the quadricentennial of Lake Champlain in 2009 reinvigorated ties between Vermont, Quebec and France. “This collaboration fostered culture. It was great for politics and great for economics. And then when we saw Honfleur as the sister city opportunity I think it just spawned a whole new level of collaboration with our government, Canadian government, France government, everybody. I’ve had a blast doing this. But yeah this is an interesting knighting, it’s a Legion of Honor knighting by the French government. The highest civilian recognition the French government gives so I’m thrilled. I’m honored.”
According to the French Legion of Honor’s website, a maximum of 320 non-French citizens can be awarded the honor annually.
