She and her brother, the historian Gilbert Charles-Picard, were the children of the archaeologist Charles Picard.

[2] She soon left Sartre's group, believing it "amateurish", instead joining the Communist Youth.

[3] The police traced her through her connection with a member of the Francs-Tireurs et Partisans, and obtained her address from her unsuspecting parents.

Étiévent was shot without trial in August 1942, and Yvonne Picard was imprisoned at Fort de Romainville; she was later deported to Auschwitz concentration camp, leaving Compiègne by a transport of 24 January 1943.

Suffering from dysentery, Picard was admitted to the hospital called the "Revier", where she died shortly afterwards.