PARIS — Secretary of State John Kerry is now an officer in France’s Legion of Honor.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault of France bestowed the medal on Kerry on Saturday after the two held talks on Syria’s war.

Calling him a ‘‘friend to France,’’ the Foreign Ministry said he earned the distinction for ‘‘his indefatigable efforts in favor of peace.’’ The rank of officer in the Legion is a step above that of chevalier or knight.

Accepting the award, an emotional Kerry recalled visiting Normandy D-Day beaches as a child with his French mother, and watching her cry. ‘‘That’s when I began to understand the cost of war, and the need for all of us to keep fighting for peace, always.’’

He also hailed Napoleon for creating the Legion.

The order, which is the highest decoration awarded in France, is divided into five categories: chevalier, ­officer, commander, grand officier, and grand cross.

Conferring the award on foreign nationals is considered a distinction rather than membership in the order.

The secretary of state is also a military veteran of the Vietnam War.

Kerry has visited Paris countless times as secretary of state for high-level diplomatic meetings on Syria, Ukraine, and other hotspots.