St. Vincent was born of poor parents in the village of Pouy in Gascony, France, about 1580.

He enjoyed his first schooling under the Franciscan Fathers at Acqs. Such had been his progress in four years that a gentleman chose him as subpreceptor to his children, and he was thus enabled to continue his studies without being a burden to his parents.

In 1596, he went to the University of Toulouse for theological studies, and there he was ordained priest in 1600.