She had one brother, Lionel Dauriac (1847–1923), who attended the École normale supérieure and became a philosophy professor and knight in the Legion of Honour.

[2] She eventually regained some of her eyesight, enabling her to write and read under a magnifying glass, but her deafness persisted.

Lenéru is perhaps best known as the subject of research by Suzanne Lavaud, the first deaf person to obtain a doctor of letters degree in France.

[3] In 1908, Lenéru submitted a short story, titled La Vivante, to a literary competition organized by the newspaper Le Journal.

Her victory in that competition marked her first success as a writer, drawing the attention of members of the French literary scene of the period including Catulle Mendès, Fernand Gregh, and Rachilde.

These works were criticized by some as cold and intellectual, often focusing on couples in conflict over religion, family, or charity.

She describes her gradual loss of religious faith, which she replaced with a sort of pagan serenity and passion for life, as she finds fulfillment in writing.