He studied at the Jesuit college in Albi followed by Toulouse and then attended the medical faculty in Montpellier between 1762 and 1765.

Louis XVIII named him the first Doctor to the King, a post he served under Charles X as well.

His close relationship with King Louis led in 1820 to the creation of what became the Académie Nationale de Médecine, of which he was lifelong president.

In 1803 he published "Cours d'anatomie médicale", a 5-volume work on medical history.

He died in 1832 at the age of 90 and was buried in Saint Pierre de Montmartre.