He joined the canons regulars of Sainte-Geneviève Abbey in Paris and devoted himself to scientific studies, giving his findings to several scholarly societies.
He had been presented for this role by his abbot at Sainte-Geneviève Abbey, Pingré, and his talents also extended to ornithology, entomology, water chemistry, and mineral salts.
In the course of the journey, at Ténérife, all the ship's scholars climbed the mountain, with La Martinière collecting plants and Monneron making an attempt to level out the peak (which failed since the muletiers refused to go right to the top).
Father Louis Receveur and his colleagues Lamanon and Mongez experimented on air, magnetics and electricity at the peak.
At Macao Lamanon, La Martinière, Mongez and Receveur addressed a collective letter to Lapérouse complaining that he did not listen to them sufficiently.