This work was completed in April 1927. It was commissioned by Jeanne Dubost, a patron of the arts residing in Paris and the wife of a banker. In the spring of the same year, she conceived the idea of creating a ballet for children and decided to commission music for it from her composer friends. A total of ten composers were ultimately selected for this endeavor, including Poulenc, Ravel, Milhaud, Jacques Ibert, Albert Roussel, and Florent Schmitt, with each assigned to compose one piece. Among these, the eighth piece, composed by Poulenc, is "Pastourelle." The work received its private premiere on June 16, 1927, at the Dubost residence, complete with stage sets, lighting, and costumes, with choreography by Yvonne Franck and Alice Bourgat, and conducted by Roger Désormière. Its public premiere took place on March 4, 1929, at the Paris Opéra, conducted by Jacques Rouché, who was then the director. Notably, the work exists in both a piano version and a version for small orchestra.

At its public premiere, "Pastourelle" was danced by three young girls. While it is unknown whether the original choreography has been preserved, its light and rhythmic character, combined with a clear A-B-A formal structure based on the initial theme, readily evokes a sequence of classical ballet steps (pas). Poulenc was also active as a composer of ballet music from the 1920s to the 1930s, and "Pastourelle" can be seen as reflecting this aspect of his work.