[2] Boulainvilliers was born to a noble family from Brest.
[2] His son, Joseph de Boulainvilliers de Croy, was also a Navy officer and later a Chouan insurgent.
[2] He commanded the 80-gun Languedoc[3] as flag captain to Estaing.
[2] Boulainvilliers' superiors saw him as having reach the limits of his abilities, and advised against his promotion to a general officer position.
[Note 2] Boulainvilliers was promoted to Chef d'escadre on 5 May 1780, and was retired from the Navy on 13, a week later.