Princess Anne Élisabeth of France

At the table

Meat and Drink Habits of Families

Ordinary families rarely ate fresh meat and instead relied on salted pork to flavor their vegetable soups. Drinking water was often considered unsafe, so people frequently consumed piquette, a thin beverage made from the remnants of grapes or fruit, or local cider.

What people wore

Rural women's colors and aprons

Women in rural areas typically wore clothing in shades of black, gray, and red, often completing their attire with a protective apron known as a devantier.

Getting around

First organized public transport in Paris

In 1662, King Louis XIV authorized the first organized public transport in Paris using carriages called carrosses à cinq sols, which cost five sols per ride.

What it cost

Medical treatment cost versus cutlery price

A medical enema in the 17th century cost 15 sous, which was the same price as a gross of small whistle knives.

Music

Street music and peasant dances

Street singers adapted popular court and opera melodies for public performance, while rural peasants often danced to the pipe and tabor during Sunday rest. Officials sometimes defended these peasant dances as innocent amusement after a week of hard labor.

Daily life

Homes had one dim room

Many households had little space and light, with a single main room heated by a fireplace/cheminée that also provided much of the light.