Louis Philippe I, Duke of Orléans

Getting around

Regulated river transport fares

For river travel, fares were strictly regulated and often posted on metal plates attached to the masts of the boats to prevent overcharging.

At the table

Bread as the Foundation of Daily Meals

The staple of the ordinary diet was bread, often consumed as a soup by soaking pieces in water, broth, or vegetable mixtures. This meal structure, centered on a starchy base accompanied by secondary savory foods, remained remarkably stable for centuries.

What people wore

Origin of the term Grisette

The term grisette described poor working-class women, named after the simple gray woolen cloth used to make their dresses.

Music

Teaching Dance via Written Notation

Dance masters used specialized choreographic notation created by Raoul Auger Feuillet to distribute and teach new dance steps between Paris and the provinces. By 1721, collections contained dozens of dances composed by masters like Pécour and Balon for the French court.

Daily life

Limited and irregular primary education

Primary schooling was rare, especially for girls, and often conducted irregularly by the local priest or his vicar. Education was limited to the basics of reading, writing, and the catechism.