He studied at Strasbourg, Bourges (1532–1533) and Paris. In 1535, religious unrest drove him back to Zürich, where he made an unwise marriage. His friends came to his aid, enabled him to study at Basel (1536), and in 1537 obtained for him the professorship of Greek at the newly founded academy of Lausanne (then belonging to Berne). Here he had leisure to devote himself to scientific studies, especially botany. 