Charles Guillaume Vial d'Alais was born on 12 February 1749 in Paray-le-Monial, Burgundy, Kingdom of France[1]: 420 to a Protestant and irenic family.[2]
Vial d'Alais entered military service in 1766. He joined the mousquetaires on 17 May 1768. On 29 May 1778, he was named captain of the Infantry Regiment of Picardy, then captain-commander of the first company of foreign volunteers of the navy on November 1. On 1 April 1780, he was named captain-commander of the 1st Volunteer Company of Lauzun.[1]: 420
He joined the Order of Saint-Louis as a knight around 1781. Under Armand de Kersaint, d'Alais participated in the conquest of Dutch Guiana, Demerara and Essequibo. He distinguished himself during this campaign, and on 16 May 1782, he became deputy commander of Démérary with the rank of major.[1]: 420–421
On 6 July 1784, he was named major of the Île Bourbon. On 5 June 1785, he became major of Cayenne's battalion.[1]: 421
Vial d'Alais was interim Governor General of Guiana from October 1788 to June 1789.[3]: 92
To avoid abuse, Vial d'Alais enforced work contracts between colonists and Native Americans.[2]
He was promoted colonel on 4 March 1791. He became colonel in the Regiment of Monsieur [fr] on 7 March 1792 then maréchal-de-camp on 13 May 1792.[1]: 421
In July 1792, the Legislative Assembly confirmed the annulation of the expulsions by the Colonial Assembly of Guiana, that the law of 4 April 1792 [fr] instituting the equality of men was to be enforced and that the Colonial assembly had to be reorganized, and thus reelected. To apply these decisions, the Ministère de la Marine named d'Alais Governor General of Guiana.[4]: 37
Vial d'Alais and the new Civil Commissioneer, Guillot, arrived in Cayenne on 23 September 1792. Unbeknownst to Guillot and d'Alais, the Republic had taken power in France by their arrival.[4]: 37
Guillot and d'Alais's relationship strained after disagreements on the matter of the returned expulsed, and d'Alais increasingly sided with the Colonial Assembly leaders. After the election, d'Alais ratified the Colonial Assembly's local constitution against Guillot's wishes.[4]: 39–40
Vial d'Alais ordered refractory priests to take the oath of loyalty to France and the Civil Constitution of the Clergy under threat of deportation.[5]
He was recalled to France alongside Guillot[4]: 40 in 1793.[6]
Vial d'Alais's ship was shipwrecked, and he was taken prisoner by the English. He returned to France on parole on 4 October 1794. He retired on 7 February 1799. He died in Paray-le-Monial on 18 February 1819.[1]: 421