Christian II, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Birkenfeld

Getting around

Water travel was cheaper and standard

Water travel was common and cheaper than land, with a journey from Paris to Bordeaux taking roughly fifteen days by mid-century.

Daily life

Living conditions in modest urban homes

Ordinary homes in cities were often tall, narrow buildings where upper floors were darker and difficult to heat, with limited light due to overhanging structures. A single room often served multiple purposes, including cooking, sleeping, and childcare.

What people wore

Clothing for feast days vs daily life

Common villagers typically wore the same basic garments daily, while the more prosperous members of the community had specific outfits reserved for Sundays and feast days.

Music

Pipe and tabor in rural festivities

Common people danced on Sundays to the sound of the pipe and tabor, a practice defended by some clergy as a necessary relaxation after a week of labor. These instruments were also used to celebrate local events, such as the lighting of the Saint John's fire.

At the table

Stale bread soaked in soup

Ordinary families relied heavily on a bread-based diet, often consuming stale loaves by soaking them in liquid to make soup. Because bread was baked in large batches to last weeks, it was kept dense and sturdy.