French politician, minister of education, minister of the colonies, navy minister (as late as 1979 a navy ship was namd after him) etc.
In 1909 he inherited a large sum from
Alfred Chauchard, a retail magnate and art collector. This was in gratitude for recommending him to be a member of the
Legion of Honour.
He was president of
l'Association des Cadets de Gascogne a group of artistic friends from south-west France, which included Pedro Gailhard, director of the Paris Opera, painter Benjamin-Constant, composer Gabriel Fauré, and poet Armand Silvestre.
