Abstract
This article is devoted to the work of Charles Flahault (1852-1935), a major figure in botanical geography and vegetation sciences. The article, after recalling the main periods of Charles Flahault’s scientific life, analyzes his contribution to the knowledge of the spatial distribution and dynamics of vegetation. It shows the nature of the bridges that Ch. Flahault established between his academic research in botanical geography and a public commitment in the field of land and resource use in the Mediterranean region.