He contributed to journals such as Revue des deux Mondes and Mercure de France and authored several books, including works on Maurice Barrès and Henri Bergson.

He directed the short-lived "Politeia" series at Grasset publishers in the 1920s and became a member of the Société des gens de lettres in 1924.

Although initially sympathetic to the regime’s goals, he later opposed its anti-Semitic policies, which he condemned in private letters to Pétain.

He was a founding member of the Centre d'études politiques et civiques (CEPEC) in 1954, a think tank promoting conservative and Christian democratic values.

His first marriage to Suzanne Berret produced a son, Marc Gillouin, who died in combat during World War II.

While his literary criticism and philosophical writings are noted for their depth, his association with the Vichy regime and traditionalist politics has been a subject of debate.