Pierre Benoît Dumas (1668–1745) was the French

Governor General Governor-general (plural governors-general), or governor general (plural governors general), is the title of an official, most prominently associated with the British Empire. In the context of the governors-general and former British colonies, ...

for Pondichéry and

Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...

. Predecessor of La Bourdonnais on the Isles and Dupleix in the

Indies The East Indies (or simply the Indies) is a term used in historical narratives of the Age of Discovery. The ''Indies'' broadly referred to various lands in the East or the Eastern Hemisphere, particularly the islands and mainlands found i ...

, Dumas hailed from Southern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. There is still a street in

Pondicherry Pondicherry, officially known as Puducherry, is the Capital city, capital and most populous city of the Puducherry (union territory), Union Territory of Puducherry in India. The city is in the Puducherry district on the southeast coast of Indi ...

named after him. The City of

was established by him in 1730. It is he who launched the colonization of Réunion island decided by Desforges Boucher. During his 8 years of administration, 244 concessions were allotted between the Gully of Gol and the Gully of the Ramparts. Like Régnault, he wished to create a city around the immense concession (more than 10 km²) which extended ''

du battant des lames au sommet des montagnes ''Du battant des lames au sommet des montagnes'' (French language, French for "From the beating of the waves to the summit of the mountains" (lit.) or "From the seashore to the mountaintops" (fig.)) is a French expression that formerly served to de ...

'' on the future location Saint-Pierre. He even made Antoine of Bavaria draw a project of urban plan in a checkerboard and to this, he conceded 48 sites with the river initially on 26 August 1733. He is also the man of the opening-up. He made Pierre Boisson and Abraham Muron to undertake the construction of a way connecting Saint-Denis to the commune of

La Possession La Possession () is a Commune in France, commune in the France, French overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department of Réunion. It is located in the northwestern part of the island of Réunion, between the capital of Saint-Den ...

. This sinuous layout of 30 kilometers decided on 16 June 1730 was going to become the mountain road. On 3 August 1733 he charged Delisle and River to open the section Sainte-Marie - Saint-Benoît, and the road connecting Saint-Paul initially had the new concession of the River. Some time later, he became Governor General for the French Establishments in India.

Titles

Governors of French India Governors of Réunion Governors of Isle de France (Mauritius) 1668 births 1745 deaths {{Réunion-bio-stub