baron de Pierre-Marie-Joseph Bonnefoux

Born in Béziers in 1782, Pierre-Marie-Joseph de Bonnefoux served as a French naval officer during a turbulent period that stretched from the French Revolutionary wars into the Napoleonic era. He went on to build a long career in the navy and was remembered not only as a sailor, but also as a careful observer of maritime life.

Beyond his service, he became known as a naval instructor and writer. His works on the language and practice of sailing, especially his dictionary of the sailing navy, earned a lasting reputation and helped preserve the technical world of traditional seafaring.

He died in Paris in 1855. Today, he is of special interest to readers who enjoy naval memoirs, maritime history, and firsthand accounts from officers who experienced the age of sail from the inside.