Born in Guéret, Creuse, France, Marcel Jouhandeau grew up in a world of women presided over by his grandmother.

Under the influence of a young woman from the Carmel of Limoges, he embraced a spiritual form of Catholicism and considered entering the orders for a time.

Although he felt guilty and believed he was offending God, his feelings of shame did not prevent him from engaging in numerous homosexual acts.

At age 40, he married a dancer, Élisabeth (Elise) Toulemont, known as Caryathis, the former mistress of Charles Dullin and an intimate friend of Jean Cocteau and Max Jacob.

In 1938, Jouhandeau published four anti-Semitic articles in a short volume, "Le Péril Juif" (The Jewish Peril).