Jeanne de Foix, Vicomtesse de Castillon

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.

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.

News and letters

Royal postal service remained restricted

In sixteenth-century France, the royal postal service was restricted to officials, and Francis I prohibited private networks, often forcing private users to rely on unofficial or informal channels.

Getting around

Daily distance for pack animals

In level country, pack animals carrying heavy loads typically covered 15 to 25 miles in a single day.

What it cost

Meat prices from 1540 to 1549

Between 1540 and 1549, the average price of a pound of beef in the region was 5.5/6 deniers stebler, while veal and mutton cost 5.5/12 deniers stebler per pound.

Daily life

Limited Availability of Primary Schooling

Primary education was rare and highly localized, often funded by individual patrons or local church officials; for instance, a school in Bauzemont was supported by an annual endowment of four résaux of wheat. Instruction was not widespread, and specialized secondary or higher education usually required travel outside the duchy, such as to Paris.

Work

Guild fees and hereditary membership

Craft guilds in the region required masters to pay a fee, known as the right of hart, to gain a monopoly, and membership often tended to become hereditary.