He studied botany in Poitiers, and after World War I, obtained his doctorate in Paris with a thesis on fern cytology.
For ten years he was associated with the University of Lille (1921–1931), then spent the remainder of his career as director of the botanical institute at Grenoble.
[1] He is best remembered for his studies of Corsican flora, undertaking 28 expeditions to the island during his career.
[1] In 1996 the herbarium of the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève acquired his botanical collection of 30,000 specimens.
[2] Taxa with the specific epithet of litardiereana commemorate his name.