After studying advertising at the Duperré School of Applied Arts in Paris, Beauchard began working in comics in 1985 (Pas de samba pour capitaine Tonnerre), and wrote and illustrated stories in numerous magazines, including Okapi, À suivre, Tintin Reporter, and Chic.

In 1990, he co-founded the independent publisher L'Association, which became a major force in French small-press comics.

Much of his work in the 1990s was dream art, collected in le Cheval blême and les Incidents de la nuit.

Since 1997, he has also worked for publishers other than L'Association, and has collaborated with other authors such as Joann Sfar, Christophe Blain, and Emmanuel Guibert.

With historical assistance by Jean-Pierre Filiu, Beauchard published the 2012 graphic novel Best of Enemies: A History of US and Middle East Relations through SelfMadeHero.