Marais, the son of a poor shoe maker, was educated in a choir school were he was taught to play the viol. He then learnt from Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe, a famous bass viol player. In six months he was said to be better than his teacher. In 1675, aged 19, he joined the orchestra of the Paris Opera. This was where he met Jean-Baptiste Lully, who was the director of the Opera. Lully taught him to compose music. Marais often conducted the operas Lully had written.