1955 - 1969

Alain Prost was born two and a half years after Daniel, on 24th February 1955 in Lorette, a small village with about 5'000 inhabitants, situated next to Saint-Chamond. Now, the family is complete. André and Marie-Rose Prost are happy with their two sons. They want to offer them a better childhood than the one they have known themselves.

Alain and Daniel are accomplices. Daniel papers the walls of his room with pictures of racing cars, which he got from motorsport magazines. Alain prefers motor-cycles, but mainly soccer. Alain is an average student, not bad, but no genius, neither. He wants to become a sports instructor. So, playing soccer is his big hobby. Very soon, he establishes his place as right winger. Alain starts playing soccer with eight years (in 1963 he wrote himself in at a local soccer club - the "Club Olympique") and he will continue to play soccer until he's 17. Without a doubt, he would have become a professional soccer player, if he wouldn't have found an activity that brought him even stronger emotions. He still follows soccer...

Asked about his childhood, Alain said: "People often ask a famous person about the childhood. Was the childhood happy or unhappy? Were the parents poor or rich? I would say, for me it was in the middle." Alain's parents had enough money, but weren't exactly rich. He also remembers the health problems of his brother Daniel, who had cancer.

Regarding school, Alain has excellent memories of Sainte-Marie in St. Chamond. He worked good. Alain was mainly impressed by his teacher for French language: "He was a master." - Alain and the other students had to play a piece of theatre: "Douze hommes en colère" by Reginald Rose. Alain had to fight his shyness. He played one of the most important roles in the theatre. He was the chosen one... Alain said later, that he learned a lot in that year. He even thought about becoming a comedian. For his whole life, Alain will love the theatre, mainly the comedy, the "boulevard". The French actor G. Depardieu, for example, is fascinating for Alain.

Alain's parents are working hard. Alain wrote in his book "Vive ma vie": "I still see my mother in the kitchen, cooking for us and at the same time working on a table as we were in delivery delay". Upto 25 people worked in his dad's furniture company.

During summer months, the Prost-family goes to the sunny Côte d'Azur in the south of France. They bought an apartment in Cannes in about 1959. Alain doesn't like the crowded beaches during summer season, although he likes to swim and to do water-skiing.

Click here for the years 1970 - 1971