Louise de Keroual, Duchess of Portsmouth

At the table

Wine and cider over water

Fermented drinks like wine or cider were preferred over water, which was often considered unhealthy or unsafe to drink. People frequently drank inferior quality wine known as piquette, although better wine could be purchased for popular celebrations for ten sous per pint.

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.

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.

What it cost

Falling Daily Wages for Laborers

During the mid-17th century, the daily wage for a French laborer fell from 2.28 livres under early Louis XIII to 1.85 livres during the ministries of Richelieu and Mazarin.

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.

Daily life

Schooling for children in the household

In many households, servants or parents ensured children received elementary education in reading, writing, and counting. Daily chores for servants included waking and dressing children and seeing that they got off to school.