He was elected as a member of the Académie française in 1962.
Born in Clara, Argentina. Died in Avernes, Val-d'Oise, France.
Bibliography includes La steppe rouge (1922) L'équipage (1923) Les captifs (1926), grand prix du roman of the Académie française Nuits de princes (1927) Belle de jour (1928), inspired Luis Buñuel's 1967 movie. Fortune carrée (1932) La passante du Sans-Souci (1936) - movie by Jacques Rouffio in 1982. L'Armée des ombres (1943), movie by Jean-Pierre Melville in 1969. Le tour du malheur (1950) Le lion (1958) Les cavaliers (1967) Partout un ami (1972) Des hommes (1972) Les temps sauvages (1975)