From Nantes, where he was ordained, he sailed for the missions of Western Tongking (northern Vietnam) and reached there in May, 1850. In 1851 he was put in charge of two parishes there. At the time, proselytisation was banned in Vietnam.
On 21 March 1852, he was arrested and cast into prison. Sentence of death was pronounced against him and was executed immediately upon receipt of its confirmation by Emperor Tự Đức (1 May 1852). His remains were thrown into the river, but recovered by Christians and sent by them to the Seminary of Foreign Missions.
References
Launay, Les cinguante-deux serviteurs de Dieu (Paris, 1895), 355–373.