Newsroom

(Harris County, TX, June 20, 2025) — Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo concluded a high-impact trade and diplomacy mission to Paris this week, leading a regional delegation alongside the Greater Houston Partnership and Rice University focused on unlocking international investment, expanding innovation partnerships, and positioning Harris County as a global leader in energy, climate tech, aerospace, and medical technology.

The mission culminated with a reception at one of the city’s most storied addresses: 1 Place Vendôme, the former site of the Republic of Texas Embassy. 

The reception brought together leaders across diplomacy, science, and global commerce, including Christophe leribault, President of Château de Versailles, Andrew Feustel, NASA astronaut and geophysicist; Samuel Ducroquet, France’s Ambassador for Sports and the Olympic Games; Frédéric Rossi, CEO of Business France; Vanessa Wyche, Acting NASA Associate Administrator; and Pierre Bang, Vice President of People at TotalEnergies, among others. 

Texas was an independent nation from 1836 - 1845, and this location served as the official legation of the Republic of Texas from 1842 - 1843, making it the only U.S. state in history to ever maintain its own embassy in France. Today, its legacy lives on through an inscription still visible on the building that indicates the building as The Embassy of the Republic of Texas in Paris, now known as Hôtel Bataille de Francès.

“For Texas to have had its own embassy here was more than historical, it was a bold declaration that we belonged on the world stage,” said Judge Hidalgo. “This week, we honored that legacy by renewing our global ties.”

Over the course of the trade mission, the Harris County delegation:

• Met with Station F, the world’s largest startup campus, to explore AI and tech entrepreneurship opportunities
• Held investment discussions with Bpifrance, France’s public investment bank
• Engaged with MEDEF International, the country’s largest employer federation, on sustained economic cooperation
• Celebrated Rice University’s Global Paris Center as a new foothold for U.S.–France collaboration
• Discussed regional diplomacy, immigration, and climate action with senior officials at France’s Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
• Discussed best practices and future collaboration opportunities with Valerie Pecresse, the President of the Paris Region, and Judge Hidalgo’s counterpart

Judge Hidalgo also personally delivered a letter to President Emmanuel Macron inviting him to Houston to see firsthand the region’s innovation in energy, climate resilience, and space technology.

As the third-largest county in the United States, Harris County is rapidly positioning itself as a global center for next-generation energy, space innovation, and startup growth. This trade mission served as a critical platform to showcase that momentum on the international stage. The region is also gearing up to host the FIFA World Cup in 2026 and proudly serves as home to CERAWeek, the world’s premier energy conference, further solidifying its role as a hub of global industry and innovation.

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