Louise de Rieux

What people wore

Peasant women's head covering

Peasant women in the countryside wore a simple cloth over their heads to protect against bad weather, often folding it to create a hood under the chin.

Daily life

Typical Lorraine Home Layout and Facilities

Lorraine homes of this period typically featured a central hallway, a windowless kitchen with a floor-level fire, and a single heated bedroom for the family. Livestock were often sheltered within the same building, and the attic served as a hayloft.

Work

Common jobs in the Duchy of Lorraine

In the Duchy of Lorraine, common occupations included farming, textile work like drapery, tanning, shoemaking, and rural industries such as mining, glassmaking, and paper production.

Music

Chapel music and singer wages

Choral singers at the Saint-Georges collegiate church in Nancy were well-compensated, with annual wages reaching ninety-six francs. By 1530, the ducal chapel included regular performances of the Passion mass, which the Duke had founded to be celebrated every Friday.

At the table

Diet of poor vs. wealthy peasants

While wealthier peasants had access to various meats and fruits, poorer families primarily relied on a basic diet of soup, bread, and cheese. They often drank a local beverage known as picotte instead of wine.

Getting around

Slow and uncomfortable carriage travel

Wheeled carriages were used, though they were often uncomfortable and slow as they lacked advanced suspension systems before the late 16th-century development of swaying carriages.

What it cost

Cost of shoes

The cost of shoemaking, specifically a pair of shoes, ranged from 0.6 to 1.34 sols tournois during the 16th century.