Doumen born 11 June 1940 in Angoulême, Poitevin-Saintongeais.[1] As a young man he had also been a competitive slalom skier. From 1956 to 1970 he was an amateur jockey, and he then worked as an assistant trainer to his father Jean, who was a jockey and trainer at Maisons-Laffitte for over 50 years.[2] His older brother Christophe was also a racehorse trainer.[2]
François obtained his own training licence in 1977, working in Boucé, Orne.[2] His first successful outing in the UK was in 1987, winning the Boxing DayKing George VI Chase at Kempton with the 25-1 outsider Nupsala,[1] the first French horse to do so.[2] He won the same race in 1991 and 1992 with The Fellow, who went on to win the Cheltenham Gold Cup for Doumen in 1994.[2]
Doumen stop training jump horses at the age of 70 in 2010,[1] and retired from training altogether in August 2017, after suffering ill health.[1]
