Gaspard de Chabrol

Gilbert Joseph Gaspard, comte de Chabrol de Volvic (25 September 1773, Riom, Puy-de-Dôme – 30 April 1843, Paris) was a French official.

Biography Gaspard de Chabrol was born on the 25 September 1773 in Riom, Puy-de-Dôme, Auvergne, the youngest son of Gaspard-Claude-François, comte de Chabrol, a noble and statesman.

Napoleonic era Graduating from the École Polytechnique, Chabrol was designated ingénieur des ponts et chaussées (18 April 1796), but was soon after sent to Egypt as part of the scientific commission which followed Napoleon's campaign.

Between 1803 and 1806 he was subprefect of the town of Pontivy, which the central authorities were trying to turn into an administrative and military center of a highly royalist Brittany. Chabrol drew the plans for the "new town", which was renamed Napoléonville in 1804, greatly expanding it by building, among others, law courts, a town hall and a school.

Between 1806 and 1812 he was prefect of the department of Montenotte, in the newly annexed Italian territory.

Prefect of Paris He was named prefect of the Seine (and thus Prefect of Paris) by Napoleon in 1812, an office he held until 1836, with a short gap in 1830. Indeed, in 1816 he was made a count.

He is to be credited with creating more than 130 public roads, extending the sewer system, as well as with paving several of Paris's streets and boulevards. The pavement was edged with volcanic stone from Volvic, thus boosting his namesake town. He also began the gradual conversion of the city lighting to gaslight.

Under his supervision the first statistical research of the city of Paris was undertaken beginning with 1821, which marked a transition to a more scientific approach to urban planning. Outside the capital, he also created and financed the École d'Architecture et de Sculpture de Volvic (now the École Départementale d'Architecture de Volvic).

Member of Parliament In 1816 he is elected to the Chamber of Deputies as a representative of Puy-de-Dôme. Nevertheless, he was re-elected deputy of Puy-de-Dome in 1839 and 1842. He is commemorated in the , opened in 1822 between rue La Fayette and boulevard de Magenta, and to the which links to rue de Chabrol.

He is credited with originating the phrase "Hundred Days" - les cent jours, in his speech welcoming the returning Louis XVIII.