Louis Friant was born in September 1758 in the village of Morlancourt, 8 km south of Albert, near the river Somme. Son of a wax-maker, Louis enlisted in the French Guard in February 1781, at the age of 22. In 1782, he became a corporal, and in 1787, retired with the rank of sergeant. At the outbreak of the Revolution, Louis volunteered for the National Guard of Paris in September 1789. He became lieutenant colonel of the 9th Battalion of Paris in September 1792.
Friant commanded the 2nd Brigade of Desaix's division in Egypt, taking part in the Battle of the Pyramids on July 1798, and in Desaix's brilliant campaign in Upper Egypt. He was provisionally promoted to General of Division in September 1799, and succeeded Desaix as commander in Upper Egypt after Desaix departed to play his decisive, but fatal, part in the Marengo campaign. Friant took a lead role in the suppression of the great revolt in Cairo in March-April 1800. Confirmed in the rank of General of Division, he was named Governor of Alexandria in September 1800. He fought the British at Aboukir in March 1801 and defended Alexandria through August 1801.
He returned with Napoleon from Egypt to Europe. Louis distinguished himself at Austerlitz. The division he commanded took the main strike of the enemy army and managed to hold its position. He became Commander of the Grenadiers "Pied de la Vieille Garde" in August 1812 and Friant remained at the head of his division. He was wounded at the Battle of Smolensk, on August 17th, and severely wounded during the capture of Semenovskaya village during the Battle of Borodino, September 7th, 1812. Friant returned to France to recover from his wounds in January 1813.
He returned to the front in June 1813, commanding the Old Guard Division at the battles of Dresden in August, Leipzig on October 16-19, and Hanau on October 30, 1813. In February 1814, Friant commanded the First Old Guard Division and took part in the Battle of Waterloo where he was honored to lead the last attack of Old Guard.
Friant retired in September 1815. He died on June 24, 1829 at the age of 70.