Vincent, Count of Guingamp

What people wore

Common clothing colors

Common women’s clothing colors were mostly dark, with black, gray, and brown making up 45 percent of garments, while red accounted for 21 percent.

Daily life

Demanding daily tasks for water and light

Domestic tasks like fetching water from fountains and managing oil lamps or candles for light were costly and physically demanding labor for all of society. Home access to abundant, affordable water and lighting did not occur until the 1950s.

Work

Annual wages for servants

Servants were often paid annually, with a female servant receiving 24 to 33 livres plus small benefits, while a foreman might earn 84 to 90 livres.

Music

Instruments for common dance and festivals

At festivals and fairs, ordinary people danced to the music of fiddles and the pipe and tabor, also known as the pipe and drum.

At the table

Bread as the Daily Staple

Adult men were expected to consume between 4 and 5 livres of bread daily, making it the essential staple of their diet.

Getting around

Rapid descent by ramasse sled

When crossing the snowy Mount Cenis pass in the Alps, travelers could descend into Lanslebourg in just 15 minutes using a specialized sled called a ramasse.

What it cost

Cost of bread and meat

Bread was the essential staple, though its price fluctuated wildly; by the 1770s, it cost between 4 and 5 sols in the heart of the kingdom. Meat was expensive, with beef, mutton, or veal often costing 9 to 15 sols per pound.