During the 1940s he worked as a chronicler of contemporary politics and literary critic, contributing to "Temps modernes" ("Modern Times"), Paris-Soir and Combat. In 1950 he joined with Claude Bourdet and to found "L'Observateur". After a few years, known as "the adventurer in a bow tie", because of his dandyish appearance, he became a central figure in the French press, combining that role with a central presence in the intellectually dynamic Saint-Germain-des-Prés milieu. Familiars included Roger Vailland, Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Genet, Louis Aragon, François Mauriac, Georges Simenon and Marcel Jouhandeau. As an eloquent exponent of decolonisation, during the Indochina War he had his own taste of the inside of the vast Fresnes Prison for three weeks, in connection with "Exchanges of intelligence with the enemy".