Nicolas Noguier

Noguier grew up in Saint-Thibéry in a rural area as the child of winegrowers. He grew up in a religious household.^[3] Noguier was not forced into homelessness himself, but did face negativity after his coming out during his teenage years. At the age of 22, Noguier survived a suicide attempt.

Noguier founded Le Refuge in 2003. The first residents of the program were housed temporarily in a local hotel before the first structure dedicated full-time to the organization was built.^[4]