[1] The son of a railway worker, he attended primary school in his hometown and then became an apprentice and made his tour of France as a journeyman.

Appointed Minister of Reconstruction and Urbanism on 11 September 1948, he led a broad policy and planning team in France after the war that repaired the damage of the conflict and dealt with housing shortages without precedent.

In February 1950, he appeared before the Council of Ministers to publish a pamphlet for national land use which is considered the founding manifesto of the policy conducted during the next half-century.

To combat the excessive inequalities of settlement and activity, while balancing housing to industrial needs, Claudius-Petit advocated for a significant commitment in investment and regulation.

He was a practicing Catholic, a fact reflected by his speech on the final day of the debate on the legalization of abortion in France, on 19 December 1974: "In conclusion, and precisely because I did not let my spiritual beliefs at the door, I can not get rid of the solidarity that binds me to the society in which I live.

In 1955, he governed several buildings by Le Corbusier, including a house of Culture, a "radiant city", a stage and the Church of St. Peter.