the sixth bishop of Roman Catholic diocese of Quebec, from a titled family and grew up at the Pontbriand château, (dept. of Ille-et-Vilaine), France. Pontbriand spent some time serving the bishop of Saint-Malo who made him his vicar general. In 1740 he was named bishop of Quebec by Louis XV and this appointment was approved by pope Benedict XIV in March 1741. He left for Canada that same year on the Rubis.
