Charles Pierre Mathieu Combes (26 December 1801 – 11 January 1872) was a French engineer.

He joined the Ecole Polytechnique before the usual starting age of seventeen on 1 September 1817 and completed his studies in 1820 when he was admitted to the School of Mines.

[2] In 1825 he became a teacher of mathematics at the Ecole de Saint-Etienne, a post he held for two years.

Combes' wife Louise Pauline (born Bousquet) died young in 1841.

As the manager of the Firminy colliery, Combes took a special interest in the question of underground mine ventilation at which he became an expert and which, according to A. de Lapparent, was to keep him busy for the rest of his career[4].Combes took an interest in his students.

By decree on 16 August 1860, Combes achieved the rank of Commander in France's Legion of Honour awards system.