On November 8, 1935, a boy named Alain was born in a suburb of Paris, about 80 kilometers from Notre Dame Cathedral. His mother worked as a pharmacist, but later became a cashier at the cinema his father opened. When Alain was three, his parents separated, and both later remarried, giving him half-siblings.
His stepfather worked as a butcher, and his mother joined him at the shop, leaving little time for Alain, who was raised mostly by a nanny. Growing up between two households, he first enjoyed the freedom but later felt uncared for.
A poor student prone to mischief, he was expelled repeatedly. He briefly trained as a butcher, worked in a shop, served in the Army — which shaped his character — and later became a waiter.