De Cadenet was born in 1945 to Maxime de Cadenet, a lieutenant or film technician in the French Air Force, and his English first wife, Valerie Braham, who occasionally acted in Hollywood. His father abandoned the family when Alain was a baby. De Cadenet claimed French ancestry dating back to the era of Charlemagne. He was educated at Framlingham College in Suffolk and, though he studied to become a barrister, did not enter the legal profession. He began his working life as a fashion and music photographer, working for Radio Caroline and Wonderful Radio London.
De Cadenet's interest in motor sport was sparked by attending a race meeting at Brands Hatch in which a friend was competing. He built his reputation by constructing and racing his own sports prototypes, regularly taking on better-funded works teams. His early career included a life-threatening accident at the Targa Florio.
He made his debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1971, driving a Ferrari 512M. The following year he persuaded Duckhams Oil to sponsor a new car for Le Mans, commissioning Gordon Murray to design the chassis; he finished that race twelfth overall. De Cadenet's finest result at the Circuit de la Sarthe came in 1976 when he finished third overall, one of 15 appearances he would make at the event across two decades.
The 1980 World Sportscar Championship season represented the high-water mark of his competitive career. Partnering with co-driver Desiré Wilson, de Cadenet won two championship rounds — the Monza 1000 Kilometres and the Silverstone six-hour event — a remarkable achievement for a privateer entry in an era of increasing professional and financial competition from factory-backed teams.
After retiring from endurance racing, de Cadenet built a second career as a television presenter. He hosted Legends of Motorsport for the Speed Channel between 1996 and 2000 and covered the Goodwood Festival of Speed for the same network. During the 2000s he presented Victory By Design, a programme in which he drove and discussed the histories of vintage racing cars; The New York Times described the series as "car pornography." In 2012 he hosted Renaissance Man for the Velocity Channel, covering subjects including motorcycles, the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine, and Monaco racing.
De Cadenet raced and collected classic cars, with a particular affinity for Alfa Romeos. He also held aircraft and motorcycles in his collection and operated a Supermarine Spitfire. He was a recognised authority on George V stamps and advised the Royal Mail on their collection.
His first marriage was to Anna Gerrard; they had two children, Alexander and Amanda, before divorcing. He later married Alison Larmon, with whom he had a son, Aidan.
De Cadenet died on 1 July 2022 at the age of 76 following an illness with cholangiocarcinoma. He was buried at Putney Vale Cemetery, with his grave situated alongside that of pre-war racing driver Richard Seaman.
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