Henri Cot was born Henri Joseph Cot in 1884, in the commune of Mounès Prohencoux, canton of Belmont-sur-Rance in France. His parents, farmers, where of normal stature or even small. His father measured 153 cm and his mother 156 cm. He had 5 brothers, none of whom exceeded 165 cm in height. At the age of 8 years old, Cot already measured 150 cm., towering a full head over his classmates. Year after year the centimeters kept accumulating: 170 cm at 12, 195 cm at 16 and 228 cm at 20 years old. He wore European size 62 shoes.