Péret joined the proto-surrealist ‘Littérature’ group of Breton, Éluard and Tzara in 1920. Duhamel provided him with lodgings, and he was a regular visitor to Masson’s studio. He maintained an extensive correspondence with Picasso, practised automatic writing with Desnos, and joined Tanguy and Breton on ‘Corps Exquis’ drawing sessions. He co-edited ‘La Révolution surréaliste’ with Naville, and when Paz arrived in Paris on diplomatic duty, joined him and Breton in further surrealist activities and publications (Paz said that he believed too little in himself and placed little importance in his work).