 Louis Braille was born in Coupvray , France , a small town about twenty miles east of Paris . He and his three elder siblings – Monique Catherine ( b.1793 ) , Louis @-@ Simon ( b.1795 ) , and Marie Céline ( b.1797 ) – lived with their parents , Simon @-@ René and Monique , on three hectares of land and vineyards in the countryside . Simon @-@ René maintained a successful enterprise as a leatherer and maker of horse tack . 
