Crozet /ˌkroʊˈzeɪ/ is a census-designated place in Albemarle County in the U.S. state of Virginia. It is situated along the I-64 corridor approximately 12 miles west of Charlottesville and 21 miles east of Staunton. Originally called "Wayland's Crossing," it was renamed in 1870 in honor of Colonel Claudius Crozet, the French-born civil engineer who directed the construction of the Blue Ridge Tunnel. The population was 5,565 at the 2010 census.Crozet is part of the Charlottesville Metropolitan Statistical Area.