Born in 1747; died in 1816.
He was captain in a regiment of Champagne before the Revolution. He
became an enthusiastic democrat; later, a devoted adherent of Napoleon.
During the Empire he was head of the _Chancellerie_ of the Legion
of Honour. He lost this appointment, however, under the Restoration,
and retired to London, where he died. La Vallée was a voluminous
writer, a great linguist, and had a knowledge of ancient art and
literature.