A lawyer by training, he in fact practiced this profession very little, preferring to devote himself to writing. His work, replete with a spirit of realism, is essentially concerned with the life of the people of the Nord, his native region.

In 1936 he was awarded the Prix Goncourt for "L'Empreinte du dieu" (Hath Not the Potter). In 1943 he published "Corps et âmes" (Bodies and Souls), which was awarded the grand prix de l'Académie française for that year. The novel was an international success — it was translated into 13 languages.

Van der Meersch experienced great success in his lifetime, but is little known today.