He left the army with the rank of sergeant and entered as an employee in a branch of the Mont-de-piété, precisely in the house where he was born, rue Saint-Séverin.

Introduced to the Caveau by Jules Lagarde, an honorary member of this lyrical Society, he sang there couplets entitled L'Amateur de Chansons, which attracted on him the attention of the listeners, and were greeted with unanimous applause.

The magazine La Chanson [fr], which appeared from 1878 to 1881, reported about these banquets, and published a certain number of these songs.

That same year, he published a large collection of his songs: Loisirs lyriques d'un amateur de chansons, highlighting this quote from Nicolas Brazier, another member of the Caveau : Through songs, my mother lulled me, I want to finish as I beganThe foreword by Eugène Grangé gives the biography of Fénée.

His songs which have achieved the most success include Faudra que j' vous l'amène un soir, — Ça fait bien dans le Paysage, — N' y a que le premier Pas qui coûte, — Mon Petit Bonhomme de chemin, — Ousqu' est ma Mitrailleuse ?