Paul Lintier was born at Mayenne on May 13, 1893. He was at first destined for a commercial career, but this he abandoned as he felt no aptitude for business. He studied Law at Lyons, where he founded the Lyon Etudiant, a literary review in which his first essays appeared. He also contributed to several Lyons publications and brought out three small works : Un proprietaire, Un croquant, and Adrien Bas. In 1913 he enlisted in the 44th Regiment of Artillery.