He is also the nephew of Maurice Perrin, professor of medicine in Nancy and national municipal councilor, and of Jules Valentin, president of the Fraternité Saint-Léon, both close to the Jeunesses patriotes.

[6] He was unanimously appointed in 1935 to represent the 20th district on the board of directors of the l'Union nationale des officiers de réserve (National Union of Reserve Officers).

[11] In September 1941, he could not prevent the creation of a "civic committee" within the Legion, made up of moderate elements and more committed men like Joseph Darnand.

[12] François Valentin protested against General Maxime Weygand recall to mainland France, while dissuaded him from presenting his resignation to Philippe Pétain.

On November 18, 1941, alongside other Legion executives, he requested an interview with Pétain and said:[13] Marshal, we regret, for the first time, we, your soldiers, disobey you.

He asked the legionnaires to remain "united around the marshal and the leaders he appoints to you" and to put their energy "at the service of the National Revolution”.

[14] Valentin joined the Tulle bar and defended General de Lattre who appeared in January 1943 for having disobeyed orders forbidding him to resist German troops entering the Zone libre.

[15] Subsequently, he went into hiding and joined the secret army under the pseudonym of Frédéric Vautrin, then, at the head of an FFI battalion in the Tarn, under that of Commander Vincenot.