Initially planning to be a diplomat, Sorel studied international relations at the École normale supérieure, and worked as an embassy clerk in French Algeria from 1956 to 1957.

After several film appearances in his native country, Sorel made his breakthrough in Italian cinema in 1960, starring in Alberto Lattuada's Sweet Deceptions and Mauro Bolognini's From a Roman Balcony.

[2] During the following two decades, Sorel starred in films like A View from the Bridge, The Four Days of Naples (both 1962), Highway Pickup (1963), Sandra (1965),The Man Who Laughs (1966), Belle de jour (1967), and Model Shop (1969).

He worked with such notable directors as Luis Buñuel, Luchino Visconti, Roger Vadim, Jacques Demy, Dino Risi, Julien Duvivier, and Sidney Lumet.

[7] He starred in Lucio Fulci's first two gialli One on Top of the Other and A Lizard in a Woman's Skin, The Sweet Body of Deborah and A Quiet Place to Kill with Carroll Baker, and Aldo Lado's Short Night of Glass Dolls.