Vanier is the son of the 19th Governor General of Canada, Major-General Georges Vanier and was born in Geneva, while his father was on diplomatic service in Switzerland. In his youth and during World War II he served with the Royal Navy and then with the Royal Canadian Navy. As a midshipman, Vanier accompanied the Royal Family on their tour of South Africa aboard HMS Vanguard in 1947.

In 1964, through Vanier's friendship with a priest named Father Thomas Philippe, he became aware of the plight of thousands of people institutionalized with developmental disabilities. Jean Vanier felt led by God to invite two men, Raphael Simi and Philippe Seux, to leave the institutions where they resided and share their lives with him in a real home in Trosly-Breuil, France.The goal of L'Arche is to bring together people with developmental disabilities and those who assist them to live and work to create homes, recognizing one another’s unique values and gifts.

In 1964, inspired by his belief that community can change the world, Jean Vanier founded Faith and Light, a worldwide movement of annual retreats where people from all walks of life are welcome. In 1971, he co-founded Faith and Light, an international movement where people with developmental disabilities, their family and friends meet regularly to discuss hopes and difficulties and to pray together. Vanier points out that when confronted with human brokenness and weakness, people often find God whose love is without limitation. Today there are over 1400 Faith and Light communities around the world.

Until the late 1970s, Jean Vanier carried the responsibility for L'Arche in Trosly-Breuil in France and for the International Federation of L'Arche. He stepped down from these responsibilities, to spend more time today counseling, encouraging and accompanying people who come to live in L'Arche as assistants to those with disabilities. Vanier still makes his home in the original L'Arche community of Trosly-Breuil, France. He also travels widely, visiting other L'Arche communities, encouraging projects for new communities, and giving lectures and retreats. In the view of many of those who know him, Jean Vanier has demonstrated a lifetime of commitment to those who have been marginalized in our world, the lonely and the dispossessed.

By 2007, there were 130 L'Arche communities in 30 countries on all continents. The co-founded by Vanier an international support movement for families of people with disabilities, "Faith and Light" included, by 2007 information, over 1400 groups around the world.

He has written many books. Recently he published a new book with Duke Divinity School theologian Stanley Hauerwas, entitled "Living Gently in a Violent World". The book is the second in a series of books published by the Duke Center for Reconciliation.

In recognition of his contributions and humanness to the marginalized, Jean Vanier has received numerous distinctions and awards including the Companion of the Order of Canada, the Legion of Honour (France) and many awards from faith groups, among them the Paul VI International Prize, the Community of Christ International Peace Award, the Rabbi Gunther Plaut Humanitarian Award and the Gaudium et Spes Award. Pope John Paul II praised Jean’s work in creating L'Arche, saying "Over the past 30 years L'Arche has grown to become a dynamic and providential sign of the civilization of love." [1] There are High Schools named after him in Whitehorse, Yukon; London, Ontario; Scarborough, Ontario; Collingwood, Ontario;Hamilton, Ontario; Richmond Hill, Ontario; and Welland, Ontario. On Wednesday October 24, 2007, Jean spoke at Upper Canada College in Toronto. Top 100 Greatest Canadians

In 2006 Vanier received the prestigious Beacon Fellowship Prize for his lifelong commitment to the care, well-being and independence of people with disabilities worldwide.