The area was profoundly marked by the violent repression of the resistance activity by German forces during World War II.

He initially taught history and geography at school level while also conducting his own research with the support of the Comité d’histoire de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale.

He later gained a doctorate in History in 1978 with a thesis on public opinion in the Lot during the conflict which drew heavily on linguistics.

[1] He was a professor at the Université de Toulouse-Le Mirail and was active within the Institut d'histoire du temps présent (IHTP).

He was appointed director of studies at the École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS) in 1990.