3 June 1818: Born in Lille.
1838: Enters the Polytechnique.
1844-1852 : stays in Algeria.
1852 : Assignment to Senegal.
16 December 1854 : appointed governor of Senegal.
1854-1861 and 1863-1865 : Governor of Senegal.
1865-1870 : settles in Algeria.
19 November 1870 : appointed head of the Armée du Nord.
April 1871 : military retirement.
July 1871 : deputy of the North (he quickly resigns)
January 1879 : Senator for the North.
28 September 1889 : dies in Paris.