Having spent some time in the Order of Fontevrault, he left it to become a Benedictine in the Congregation of Saint-Maur, in which he made his profession, February 7, 1640, at Toulouse.
When the General Chapter of 1651 ordained that two religious be entrusted with the preparation of a history of the congregation, Chantelou was one of the appointees, and from that time until his death resided at Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
He is the author of the following works: Bibliotheca Patrum ascetica (Paris, 1661–64), a collection of extracts from the writings of the Church Fathers regarding the spiritual life; S. Benedicti abbatis Clarevallensis Paræneticon (Paris, 1662), an edition of sermons of St. Bernard preceded by a life of the saint written by Alain, Bishop of Auxerre (a life of St. Malachy, Archbishop of Armagh, concludes the work); S. Basilii Cæsareæ Cappadociæ archiepiscopi regularum fusius disputatarum liber (Paris, 1664), answers of St.
Basil to questions proposed by his monks respecting the monastic life; Carte géographique de la France bénédictine, published by Le Chevalier in 1726.
Marin de Caraurais edited and completed Chantelou's manuscript, History of the Abbey of Montmajour, near Arles (Marseilles, 1878).