After studying at the "collège de Chartres", he took an active part in the "Trois Glorieuses" (French revolution of 1830). He opposed the July Monarchy and appeared three times in court for his pamphlets against the regime, entitled "Les Phillipiques" (1832-1834). In May 1833, he published "L'aurore d'un beau jour: épisodes des 5 et 6 juin 1832", a call to insurrection which resulted in a two-year prison sentence and a 500 franc fine. He became a journalist at "La Presse" in 1836. On 22 August that year, he married Elisabeth Charlotte Dalloyau in Chartres. They had three children: Jules Alfred (1838), Paul Léon (1841) and Marie Léonie (1850). Over a five-year period at "La Presse", he wrote the drama series with Théophile Gautier, also collaborating with "Le Siècle" and "Le National". In 1844, Honoré de Balzac brought him his manuscript of "" for possible publication in La Presse, because he was responsible for reading manuscripts before publication. Parfait was enthusiastic about it, obtaining permission to publish the novel from the literary director .