Blanco was born in Caracas, Venezuela, to a Venezuelan father and a Basque mother, and was raised in Biarritz, France.

He scored the deciding try in the semi-final of the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987, France winning 30–24 against co-hosts Australia.

Serge Blanco captained the French side in the 1991 Rugby World Cup before retiring after their quarter-final defeat by England on 19 October 1991.

Despite his international success he has failed to win the national championship with his club Biarritz Olympique, despite making a final appearance in 1992.

[4] Outside of rugby he is a businessman, owning three hotels and a brand of sportswear and eyeglasses In March 2009 he suffered a heart attack but recovered after surgery.