Julia Allard grew up in the Marais neighbourhood in Paris, France.

Her parents were interested in literature and hosted a salon frequented by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore.

[6] Julia Daudet was also known for her salon in Paris, which was famous for its Thursday receptions,[7] attended by writers and poets such as Edmond de Goncourt, Hélène Vacaresco, Maurice Barrès, Émile Zola, Édouard Drumont, Rosemonde Gérard-Rostand, Guy de Maupassant, Ernest Renan, Arthur Meyer, Léon Gambetta and Rachilde.

[9] In 1913, through her son Lucien Daudet, who was a good friend of Marcel Proust, she was one of the first readers of the manuscript of Remembrance of Things Past.

She was immediately taken with the text and encouraged the author to persevere at a time when he was doubting his talent, since the novel had been rejected by many editors.