Myriam Voley (Woley) Da Costa Chimènes was born in the Sephardi community of Bordeaux in southwestern France in 1862. Her husband, Moyse-Gaston Chimènes, a member of the same community, was employed by the Compagnie Génèrale Transatlantique. Among her diplomas was the brevet supérieur (teaching certificate awarded after four years of study at a normal school). She served as principal of the Alliance Israélite Universelle School for Girls in Tunis from 1887 until her dismissal from the AIU school system in 1894.

During her years as principal, Chimènes focused on preparing her…