 François-Louis first married Françoise-Charlotte-Félix Berville Vallouy and in second nuptials, Marie-Joséphine Alcasar, who was the widow of Casimir-Anne-Marie Broussais, the son of François Broussais.Early in life he became a playwright, whose plays were performed on the most important Parisian stages of the 19th century, including the Théâtre de la Porte-Saint-Martin, the Théâtre de la Gaîté, the Théâtre de l'Odéon, and the Théâtre de l'Ambigu-Comique.However, failing to achieve great success and acquiring a large fortune through marriage, he abandoned playwriting for other endeavours.