He grew up with his elder brother, Louis Auguste de Bourbon, Prince of Dombes and his younger sister Louise Françoise de Bourbon (1707–1743), known as Mademoiselle du Maine.

Like his elder brother he was little seen at court and preferred to hunt on his estate of the Château d'Anet.

In March 1762 he exchanged with Louis XV the principality of the Dombes for the dukedoms of Gisors and the estates of Gretz-Armainvilliers and Pontcarré.

In 1773 he offered to sell the dukedom of Aumale, countship of Eu and the estate of Anet to Louis XV for 12 million livres.

As he was childless, he made his younger cousin the Duke of Penthièvre, son of Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, Count of Toulouse, his heir.