[1] Élie and his brother Élisée were close friends with the botanist Édouard Grimard, living together while they studied theology at Montauban.

[2][3][4] Élisée and Élie were expelled from the school at Montauban for their socialist politics, and after taking unauthorised leave to walk to the Mediterranean with Édouard.

[7] In 1866 a feminist group called the Société pour la Revendication du Droit des Femmes began to meet at the house of André Léo.

Members included Paule Minck, Louise Michel, Eliska Vincent, Élie Reclus and his wife Noémie, Mme Jules Simon and Caroline de Barrau.

Because of the broad range of opinions, the group decided to focus on the subject of improving girls' education.