The AFEQ was founded in 1962. This multidisciplinary group gathers archaeologists, botanists, climatologists, geographers, geologists, geophysicians, palaeontologists, palynologists, soils scientists and zoologists. Membership is open to all quaternarists from France and other countries. AFEQ produces four annual issues of Quaternaire, organises an annual excursion in France or in an European country, organises scientific meetings and informs the members through a newsletter every three months.
Since July 2012, AFEQ is a member of the International Union for Quaternary Research, which unites scientists from all over the world and has been renamed « AFEQ-CNF INQUA ».