Jean Bachelot La Pylaie
Encyclopedia
Jean Marie Auguste Bachelot de La Pylaie (May 25, 1786, Fougères
, Ille-et-Vilaine
– October 12, 1856) was a French botanist, explorer and archaeologist.
He studied at Laval
, and then in Paris at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
, where he was a pupil of Georges Cuvier
(1769–1832) and Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
(1777–1850).
He was a prolific explorer, mainly in France, but also in Africa and America, in particular the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
In 1816, sailing on the frigate Cybele, he surveyed St. George's Bay during a three months tour of Newfoundland and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. He was the first known collector of local species in Saint Pierre.
In December 1825, he began surveying the French islands of Hoëdic
and Houat
, to pursue his passion of collecting algae. In January 1826, instead of returning to the continent as he had originally planned, he stayed on the islands, having become fond of their inhabitants, and began to describe their lives, their activities, and the natural history of their environment.
He was the author of various archaeological studies on Brittany
.
Fougères
Fougères is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany, in north-western France.-Sights:Fougères' major monument is a medieval stronghold built atop a granite ledge, which was part of the ultimately unsuccessful defence system of the Duchy of Brittany against...
, Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine
Ille-et-Vilaine is a department of France, located in the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.- History :Ille-et-Vilaine is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
– October 12, 1856) was a French botanist, explorer and archaeologist.
He studied at Laval
Laval, Mayenne
Laval is a commune in the Mayenne department in north-western France.It lies on the threshold of Brittany and on the border between Normandy and Anjou. Its citizens are called Lavallois.-Geography:...
, and then in Paris at the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
Muséum national d'histoire naturelle
The Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle is the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, France.- History :The museum was formally founded on 10 June 1793, during the French Revolution...
, where he was a pupil of Georges Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
(1769–1832) and Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville
Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville was a French zoologist and anatomist.Blainville was born at Arques, near Dieppe. In about 1796 he went to Paris to study painting, but he ultimately devoted himself to natural history, and attracted the attention of Georges Cuvier, for whom he occasionally...
(1777–1850).
He was a prolific explorer, mainly in France, but also in Africa and America, in particular the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
In 1816, sailing on the frigate Cybele, he surveyed St. George's Bay during a three months tour of Newfoundland and Saint Pierre and Miquelon. He was the first known collector of local species in Saint Pierre.
In December 1825, he began surveying the French islands of Hoëdic
Hoëdic
Hoëdic is an island off the south coast of Brittany in north-western France. Its bigger "twin sister" island is Houat.Administratively, Hoëdic is a commune in the Morbihan department.-References:* * -External links:* *...
and Houat
Houat
Houat is a French island off the south coast of Brittany in the department of Morbihan. It is located, along with two other major islands, in the entrance to the Baie de Quiberon. Its "twin sister" island is Hoëdic....
, to pursue his passion of collecting algae. In January 1826, instead of returning to the continent as he had originally planned, he stayed on the islands, having become fond of their inhabitants, and began to describe their lives, their activities, and the natural history of their environment.
He was the author of various archaeological studies on Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
.