Faguet was born at La Roche-sur-Yon, Vend e, and educated at the cole normale sup rieure in Paris. After teaching for some time in La Rochelle and Bordeaux, he returned to Paris to act as assistant professor of poetry in the university. He became professor in 1897. He was elected to the Acad mie fran aise in 1900, and received the ribbon of the L gion d'honneur in the next year. He acted as dramatic critic to the Soleil; from 1892 he was literary critic to the Revue Bleue; and in 1896 took the place of Jules Lema tre on the Journal des d bats. He died in Paris, aged 68.