 He studied law as a clerk to the notary Jules Giéia in Avignon, later becoming a notary himself, but also enthusiastically attended poetry meetings where he read his first poems.Soon abandoning his law training, Gras published "Li Carbounié" ("The Charcoal-burners"), a rustic epic poem in twelve cantos, in 1876, noted for its "elemental passion" and scenic descriptions, for which he gained immediate recognition.In 1879, he married the niece of Joseph Roumanille, the husband of his sister Rose Anaïs.