In 1890 he studied at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, obtaining his agrégation for grammar in 1893.

[2] For three years thereafter he was associated with the École française d’Athènes,[3] followed by work at the Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale in Cairo (1896–97).

[4] On 8 June 1911 he received his doctorate of letters at the Sorbonne, subsequently serving as a professor of ancient history and papyrology in Lille (1911–1914 and 1918–1920).

[5][6] From 1920 to 1933, he was a professor of papyrology at the Sorbonne, meanwhile serving as director of the Institut Français d'Archéologie Orientale (1928-1940).

[5][6] During his earlier years spent in Egypt (1896–97, 1900), he translated numerous Greek papyri and participated at the excavatory site at Ghorân.