 He was exchanged in August 1800, and returned to France, where the First Consul personally gave him an honour sabre - a grant of the "Arms of Honour" which Napoleon had introduced as a decoration before instituting the Légion d'honneur - and appointed him as maritime prefect at Lorient.From 3 October 1801 to the end of the Empire on 1 April 1814, he served as Napoleon's Minister of the Navy.During this period, he was again promoted - this time to vice-amiral - on 30 May 1804, 

In 1808, he was made a count of the empire.