Born in Paris in 1916 to a working-class family, Pierre Gascar lived part of his childhood in Périgord after his mother was institutionalised.

Returning to Paris after completing high school, he became involved in left wing politics and began to associate with writers.

In 1953, after winning the Prix Goncourt for Les Bêtes and Le temps des morts, he decided to devote himself entirely to his literary work.

His writing, characterised by an exploration of the relationship between plants, animals and people, began to gain greater appreciation from the general public.

The screenplay of Georges Franju's film Les Yeux sans visage (1960) was in large part written by Gascar.