College de Tournon
In 1536, Cardinal de Tournon first voiced the idea of founding the Collège de Tournon in his home town. In 1542 the financial foundations of the college were laid when the cardinal transferred to the college the Priory of Andance, which belonged to his Abbey of La Chaise-Dieu. The cardinal was most careful to obtain the permission of Pope Paul III for this transaction, and then sensibly persuaded King Francis I to ratify the donation by Letters Patent, which were dated 4 February 1544. The first building was completed in 1548. Again, the cardinal was careful to persuade Pope Julius III (1549-1555) to issue a Bull in favor of the erection of the Collège de Tournon, which King Henri ordered the Parliament of Toulouse to register by an Arrêt dated 11 April 1553. On 6 January 1559, the cardinal turned the College over to the Jesuits, and they obtained Letters Patent from King Charles IX in 1561 confirming the arrangement.
When Duke Francesco Sforza of Milan died on 24 October 1535, King Francis decided to renew the Italian Wars. Cardinal de Tournon was appointed Governor and Lieutenant General of the Lyonnais and surrounding territories, and assigned to raise money, troops and supplies for the Italian War. When the French invaded Savoy, Charles V retaliated by invading and seizing Provence, which put the cardinal in a most dangerous situation. Charles managed to lead his army as far north as Aix en Provence, but Francis occupied Avignon and prepared for a major battle. Charles chose to retreat back to Italy, whence he had come. Tournon's operations were successful in helping to drive the Imperialists out, while the French army in Italy made progress in securing the Piedmont. Paul III was eager to establish a peace, since he believed that a war against the Turks and efforts against the Protestant heretics were more important pursuits. He sent Cardinal Jacobazzi to the Emperor and Cardinal Carpi to King Francis, to induce them to come to Nice. He had negotiated with the Duke of Savoy to have the citadel of Nice placed at his disposal, to which the Duke had agreed; the Duke, however, did not carry out his commitment out of fear of what the French or the Spanish might attempt. The war was finally settled by The Truce of Nice, signed on 18 June 1538 by Francis I and Charles V, through the mediation of Pope Paul III.
Cardinal de Tournon was appointed Archbishop of Auch on 14 June 1538. The pallium was granted to him by Pope Paul III on 30 March 1541. Tournon held the post until his resignation in April 1551. His resignation was contingent upon his receipt of an annual payment of 10,000 livres Tournois.
In 1540 Francis I appointed Cardinal de Tournon Chancellor of the Ordre de Saint-Michel.
From 1543 to 1556 the cardinal's attending physician was the famous Guillaume Rondelet.
On 22 July 1544 Cardinal de Tournon was elected abbot of the Benedictine Abbey (Congregation of S. Maur) of Ambronay (Ambroniacum) in the Diocese of Lyon by the monks; he held the post until 1550.
King Francis I died on 31 March 1547, and on 2 April 1547 the cardinal received an ordonnance in council of Henri II that he was to retire to his estates. He was out of favor with the new King. He retired to one of his monasteries, the Abbey of Tournus, which he had acquired in 1535, and did not engage in political affairs.
In 1548 the cardinal was ordered to represent the King of France, now Henri II, at the peace negotiations which took place in Nice, with the Emperor and the pope. He was successful in arranging a ten years peace.
