Yves Le Grand studied at the Ecole Polytechnique in Paris, France, with Charles Fabry. He obtained his Ph.D. in 1937 there. In 1942, he joined the Institute d’Optique and taught physiological optics until 1969. During this time, he held other positions, including head of the Lab of Applied Physics at the Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle and a teaching position at the Institut Oceanopgraphique. From 1967 to 1971, he was vice-president of the CIE. He received a number of awards, including OSA’s Edgar D. Tillyer Award in 1974, and the Prentice Medal from the American Academy of Optometry in 1985.