He used his military service to his advantage in his political career as a member of the Cultural, Family and Social Affairs Committee in the National Assembly.
He started his political career with the Independent Republicans (RI) party, which his family had been a part of for over 70 years.
However, when he was elected as Mayor of Bonneville and represented Haute-Savoie's 3rd constituency in the National Assembly, he was a member of the Union for French Democracy (UDF).
As Mayor of Bonneville, Meylan developed the commune's business district and established the first municipal employment center in France.
In 1997, Meylan made a controversial statement in the National Assembly amidst a debate on the civil solidarity pact, saying "If there are queers here, I piss them off".