He was ordained priest for the archdiocese of Lyon on 29 June 1960, where he began his career as a parish minister for nine years before dedicating himself for 15 years as the chaplain of schools.
In 1984 he was appointed curate of the parishes of Notre-Dame-Saint-Vincent and Saint-Paul in Lyon, and was appointed deputy bishop of Lyon on 11 April 1992 where he was consecrated on 14 June 1992 in the Primatiale of Lyon by Cardinal Albert Decourtray.
The acceptance of his resignation was delayed for several weeks in order that he participate at the diocesan assembly of Pentecost 2008.
On 3 July his departure was officially announced by the Vatican.
He died two years later on 13 August 2010.
During his career he officiated at the beatification of Basile-Antoine Moreau in the centre of Antares in Le Mans on 5 September 2007 in the presence of thirty bishops and archbishops and the legate of Pope Benedict XVI, Monseigneur Martins.
This was the first beatification ever to take place outside the Vatican without the presence of the Pope.