Kammala jumla mai zuwa: An haifi François-Léon Clergue a Lavaur a ranar 23 ga Disamba 1825 a matsayin na farko na yara uku ga Jean-Louis-François-Frédéric Clergue (1798-1872) da Rose Amilhau (1797-1867); an yi baftismarsa jim kaɗan bayan haihuwarsa a cikin sunayen "François-Auguste-Léon. Mahaifinsa - malamin shari'a mai ibada - ya keɓe shi ga Uwar Allah bayan haihuwarsa. Mahaifiyarsa daga baya ta sami laƙabin "La Vendéenne" a cikin 1830 bayan
rikicin lokacin da ta kwace tutar juyin juya hali daga wasu matasa da ke yawo da ita a kan tituna. Dan uwansa shi ne Ciprien-Célestin kuma 'yar'uwarsa ita ce Marie Jeanne Mélanie (1833-1872) wadanda suka mutu kafin shi. Dan uwansa ya mutu a Istanbul yayin da yake cikin aikin soja bayan yanke ƙafafunsa na dama.