Louis de La Couldre de La Bretonnière facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louis de La Couldre, Comte de La Bretonnière
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Louis de La Couldre, Comte de La Bretonnière
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| Born | 6/8 July 1741 Château de la Bretonnière, Marchésieux |
| Died | 25 November 1809 (aged 67–68) Paris |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Service/ |
Navy |
| Years of service | 1755–1792 |
| Commands held | Chief Engineer, Cherbourg Harbour |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War Anglo-French War (1778–1783) |
Louis Jean de la Couldre, also known as the Count of La Bretonnière, was an important French naval officer and engineer. He was born on July 6 or 8, 1741, and passed away on November 25, 1809. He is most famous for designing the large Cherbourg Harbour in France. He was born in Marchésieux and died in Paris.
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Louis de La Bretonnière joined the French navy when he was just 14 years old. Two years later, he became an officer. He fought in two major conflicts: the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.
He was very brave, and because of his courage, he was promoted to captain when he was 40. He was born a viscount, which is a noble title. In 1787, the king made him a count. He also became a member of the Order of Cincinnatus. This was a special honor, suggested by George Washington himself.
In 1763, La Bretonnière started important hydrographic work. This means he helped create better maps of France's coastlines. These maps were crucial for safe navigation.
Designing Cherbourg Harbour
King Louis XVI wanted a big military port on France's northwest coast. So, he asked the Duke of Harcourt and Suffren, a top naval officer, to find a good spot. In 1776, they put La Bretonnière and Pierre Méchain in charge. Their job was to map the coast between Dunkirk and Granville very carefully.
In 1777, La Bretonnière presented his findings. He said that Cherbourg was the best place for the new port. He suggested building a 4-kilometer-long wall, called a breakwater, to protect the harbor. This wall would be made of stone and built 4 kilometers from the coast. His plan was supported by important officials in 1780.
Building the Breakwater
Three years later, the builders still hadn't decided how to construct the breakwater. La Bretonnière thought they should sink old warships and then build stone around them. The top part would be made of masonry.
However, work first began using a different, more modern plan. This plan was by Louis-Alexandre de Cessart. He wanted to sink 90 huge wooden tree trunks, each 20 meters high, and then cover them with stone. In 1784, Cessart became the main engineer for the project. La Bretonnière returned from America to become Cherbourg's naval commander.
In June 1786, King Louis XVI visited Cherbourg. He even helped sink the ninth tree trunk of the breakwater. But Cessart's method didn't hold up well against storms. Only 20 trunks were sunk before the French Revolution began.
So, in 1788, the project went back to La Bretonnière's original idea. He took full control after Cessart and Governor Dumouriez left in 1789. In September 1791, the role of naval commander was removed. This meant La Bretonnière had to resign on March 8, 1792.
Later Years and Retirement
During the French Revolution, La Bretonnière faced difficulties. He was accused by a group called the Montagnards from Valognes. He was put in prison for two weeks in 1793. A revolutionary leader offered him a chance to rejoin the navy as a regular sailor. But La Bretonnière refused and moved to Paris.
Years later, Bonaparte, who was then the First Consul of France, allowed La Bretonnière back into the navy. This was in 1803, and he rejoined as a captain. However, Napoleon did not let him return to the Cherbourg building project. Instead, he put him in charge at Boulogne and then Dunkirk.
Feeling powerless, La Bretonnière retired from the navy on April 7, 1804. He passed away in Paris five years later, at the age of 68.
