Christophe-Paulin de La Poix, chevalier de Fréminville (24 January 1787 – 12 January 1848), was a notable French Navy commander, naturalist, archaeologist, and early pioneer of transvestism. Born into a family of naval engineers, he joined the Navy in 1801 and quickly distinguished himself as an aide to Rear-Admiral Latouche-Tréville during Nelson's Raids on Boulogne.
At just 15, Fréminville served on the 74-gun Intrépide as a midshipman, participating in the Saint-Domingue expedition, where he witnessed the atrocities committed by General de Rochambeau. After returning to France in 1803, he was promoted to Ensign following his involvement in a battle where he sustained injuries.
In 1806, he joined the frigate Sirène, participating in a campaign against British whalers near the North Pole. During this time, he rediscovered the island of Enckuysen, previously thought to be a myth. After several years of limited action, he achieved the rank of Lieutenant in 1811 and served on various ships, including the fluyt Rhône in the Baltic Sea and the frigate Néréide off Western Africa.
While stationed in the Caribbean in 1822, Fréminville fell in love with a Creole girl named "Caroline C." Tragically, misunderstanding his intentions, she took her own life. In 1824, he took command of the fluyt Bonite and later the Adour in America, where he pursued his passion for archaeology and natural history. Promoted to Commander in 1827, he continued to seek leadership roles in exploration.
Fréminville retired from the Navy in 1831 and authored an essay on the influence of female clothing, using the pseudonym "Caroline de L." This choice was later seen as a tribute to the Creole woman he loved. In his later years, he focused on archaeology, founding the study of the region in Lower Brittany. He donated a decorative model of a fictitious galley to the Musée national de la Marine before his death in 1848.
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