Alain Decaux was born on 23 July 1925 in Lille, France. A historian by profession, he was elected to the Académie française on 15 February 1979.
As a child, he goes to school in Wattignies. He then studied at the Lycée Faidherbe in Lille and then in Paris at the Lycee Janson -de- Sailly whereafter he joined the faculty of law. Very quickly, he became interested in history and took courses at the Sorbonne.
He published his first articles in 1946 and his second book "Letizia : Napoleon and his mother" was rewarded by the French Academy.
He was active on television for many years.
Meanwhile, he continues writing history books , plays and films. He was elected to the French Academy February 15, 1979; the same day as Henry Gouhier . He succeeds Jean Guéhenno 9th chair. He was received under the dome as they say in 1980 by André Roussin.
he was also a Delegate Minister to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for Francophonie in the second Rocard government from June 1988 to May 1991.
On 1 June 2010 , he received in the premises of the UNESCO, the price of the Pierre Lafue Foundaion, for his complete work.
Alain Decaux is also founder and president of the Society of Friends of Alexandre Dumas, and a foreign member of the Romanian Academy.