[2] In 1847, Captain de Montravel was appointed commander of the corvette L'Astrolabe, which joined the naval station on the coast of Argentina during the Platine War .

Tardy de Montravel was promoted to captain on February 2, 1852, and embarked on the corvette La Constantine travelling to New Caledonia, which Rear-Admiral Febvrier-Despointes had just taken possession of.

His observations on the Sea of Okhotsk, which was previously known only through reports from whalers, were taken up as a reference source by the Bureau des Longitudes.

Captain de Montravel was a deputy member on the Admiralty Council until his appointment as 41st governor of French Guiana on 16 February 1859.

[3] In this role, he worked to improve the health of the Penal Colony of French Guiana and to promote the economic potential of agriculture and forestry which was carried on by convict labour.

He became Commander of the Orders of the Court and the Sword of Portugal, the Iron Crown, the Dutch Lion, and Our Lady of Guadalupe of Mexico.