Alain was born on November 8, 1935, near Paris. His mother, once a pharmacist, later worked as a cashier at the movie theater his father opened. When his parents divorced, both remarried, giving him half-siblings and a split childhood. His mother and stepfather ran a butcher shop and hired a nanny because, as Alain later admitted, “I felt like no one really cared about me.”

School was a struggle. Restless and often in trouble, Alain was expelled several times. He left education early and started training as a butcher with his stepfather, but after three months quit, saying the job wasn’t for him. He tried working in a store instead, still searching for direction.

His turning point came with the French Army. Surprisingly, the discipline suited him. Alain reflected that “serving in the military had a good effect on his character.”

After his service, he returned to civilian life and worked as a waiter. Though ordinary, this stage marked the beginning of his adulthood.

From a troubled boy to a disciplined young man, Alain’s early life quietly shaped the figure who would later “get the world’s attention.”