He was born in Dijon and became canon of Vézelay Abbey. His publications in the field of the humanities earned him election to the Academy of Dijon and he became tutor of the son of the president of the city's Parliament. In 1761 Richard left for Italy with Jean-François Charles (president of the Parliament of Burgundy) and stayed there for almost a year. Richard's work - Description historique et critique de l'Italie (Des Ventes, Dijon 1766) - offers a highly accurate description of the many aspects that characterize the country. In the foreword the author informs his readers that the purpose of the text is to provide a detailed report not just on the beauties of the land but also on its history, sciences and customs. It was an intention that he attained in full, to the point where the work can be considered one of the most scrupulous travel accounts of the 18th century. The author's other works include: Hipparchie, histoire galante, traduite du grec, divisée en trois parties, Tablettes historiques, topographiques et physiques de Bourgogne, pour les annes 1753-1760 and La théorie des songes.