 Presti was born Yvette Montagnon in Suresnes, a suburb of Paris, France, to a French father and Sicilian mother.Her father, Claude Montagnon, was her first teacher, and he thought that "Ida Presti" sounded better than 'Yvette Montagnon' (Presti came from her mother's name, Olga-Gracia Lo Presti).She also studied harmony and music theory with guitarist and luthier Mario Maccaferri.