In 1960 he was attached to the cabinet of Prime Minister Debré and in 1961, he was assigned to Algiers again. He was chief of staff of the 10th Parachute Division until the Algiers putsch, when he followed orders from General Challe, one of the leaders of the Putsch. He was arrested and sent to Paris, where he was immediately released. He was posted to Mauritania for two years before leaving the French Army in 1964.