To make a trip to France next month, I needed to get a visa.  After searching for experiences of other people I did not find much information and so I thought I will document mine for the help of others.

Visit the French Consulate website and prepare all the documents.  And yes, you will need medical insurance for travel since most health insurance plans will not cover you.  This is a reputable company and you will pay just about $20 or so.

Show up at the consulate and unlike many other consulates that are overcrowded and you have to stand in line for hours sometimes, often outside in bitter cold, this is a neat office building and generally there is no line.  In a tiny room, you pay your fees and then another person will ask for all the documents one by one (it is not an interview, though, you have to show up in person).  If everything is in order, you will get the visa.  While they say on the website that you wait 3 days, I got mine the next day (just show up with the receipt and once again there is no line).