Flechier, Esprit (1632-1710), French preacher and author, bishop of Nimes, was born at Pernes, department of Vaucluse, on the 10th of June 1632.
He was now firmly established in the favour of the king, who gave him successively the abbacy of St Severin, in the diocese of Poitiers, the office of almoner to the dauphiness, and in 1685 the bishopric of Lavaur, from which he was in 1687 promoted to that of Nimes.
The edict of Nantes had been repealed two years before; but the Calvinists were still very numerous at Nimes.
A few churches had been organized earlier, at Meaux in 1546 and at Nimes in 1547, but their members had been dispersed by persecution.
Later the synod of Nimes (1572) decreed that no minister might be imposed upon an unwilling people.