[1][2] He studied the Law alongside François-Auguste Mignet (1796-1884) and Adolphe Thiers (1797-1877).
He served as an advisor to the Mayor, Joseph Chambaud, during the cholera epidemic of 1835.
[1][2] During his tenure, he brought gas lighting to the town, commissioned the construction of a canal built by François Zola (1796-1847), conceived the Canal du Verdon for water distribution (since then replaced by the Canal de Provence), commissioned the construction of a railroad track from Aix to Rognac, and established the Faculty of Letters, the Ecole Nationale des Arts et Métiers and a mental asylum.
[1] He stepped down during the French Revolution of 1848, when he handed it over to Émile Ollivier (1825–1913).
He received the Knighthood of the Legion of Honour for his public service.