Le Braz was born in Saint-Servais (Côtes-d'Armor, Brittany), and raised amongst woodcutters and charcoal burners, speaking the Breton language; his parents did not speak French. He spent his holidays in Trégor, which inspired his later work. He began school aged 10 at Saint-Brieuc and progressed swiftly to a degree at the Sorbonne, where he studied for seven years. Le Braz died at Menton on the French Riviera. Mourners included the French prime minister, Aristide Briand.