Georges Barboteu, the son of the horn professor at the Conservatoire d'Algiers, began playing the horn at age nine, and won the premier prix at that conservatoire at age eleven. He joined the Symphony Orchestra of the Radio of Algiers at age fourteen and the French Orchestre National in 1948. In 1950 he entered the Paris Conservatoire, winning the prix d'honneur that year.

In 1951 he won first prize at the Geneva International Competition. He was a member of the horn sections in the Opéra-comique and Paris Opera before becoming principal horn of the Concerts Lamoureux and, from 1969, the Orchestre de Paris. He was horn professor at the Paris Conservatoire from 1969-1989 and founder of the Quintette Ars Nova. In addition to his horn etude books, Barboteu wrote over forty compositions for solo or chamber music combinations. Several of his solo works for horn and other winds have been used as examination pieces at the Paris Conservatoire.