Roman Catholic Cardinal. A native of Fleury-lès-Aubrais, Louis-Marie Billé underwent studies in philosophy and theology at the Major Seminary of Luçon, successively pursuing his studies at the the Catholic University of Angers, obtaining a licentiate in theology, at the Pontifical Biblical Institute of Rome from where he received a licentiate in Sacred Scriptures, and ultimately at the Biblical Institute of Jerusalem. Ordained priest on March 25, 1962, in Luçon, he served as faculty member of the Major Seminary of Luçon from 1966 until 1972, and of the seminary of La Roche-sur-Yon between 1972 and 1977. In charge of permanent formation of the laity and animator of the national office for the permanent formation of the clergy from 1977 till 1980, he served as episcopal vicar and archdeacon of Haut Bocage from 1980 until 1984, when on March 10, he was elected bishop of the diocese of Laval. Receiving his episcopal consecration on May 19, 1984 at Salle des Fêtes, Laval, he was promoted to the metropolitan see of Aix, Arles and Embrun on May 5, 1995. Elected president of the Episcopal Conference of France on November 5, 1996, he was reelected on November 9, 1999, being in the meantime transferred to the metropolitan and primatial See of Lyon on July 10, 1998, becoming thus Primate of the Gauls. Chancellor of the Catholic University of Lyon between 1998 and 2002, Pope John Paul II created him cardinal priest in the consistory of February 21, 2001 with the title of San Pietro in Vincoli. Transferred to the title of Ss. Trinità al Monte Pincio on July 22, 2001 following the death of Cardinal Pierre Eyt, the Cardinal resigned the presidency of the French Episcopal Conference because of illness on November 6, 2001, dying of complications from advanced stages of colon cancer on March 12 of the following year at his sister's house in Talence, a bordering commune of Bordeaux. His remains are found buried in the crypt of Saint-Jean's metropolitan and primatial cathedral of Lyon.