Louise de Coligny

At the table

Regulated prices for bread and wine

In 1550, the price of food in Valence was officially regulated, with white bread costing 7 mailles per pound and black bread costing 5 mailles per pound. Wine was also a daily drink, with local black or red wine priced at 6 deniers per pot.

What people wore

Shepherdess attire in Anjou

A shepherdess from Anjou wore a cloth bonnet with a raised crown, a blouse with a fluted collar, a blue bodice, braces, and a woollen skirt.

Getting around

Common ways of traveling during the Renaissance

Until the mid-16th century, common travel methods included walking, riding a mule, or, for the wealthy, riding a horse.

What it cost

Meat prices in 1550

In 1550, a pound of beef cost 8 deniers tournois, while a pound of pork cost 10 deniers tournois.

Music

Rise of amateur home music

While professional musicians were hired for major events, amateur music-making at home became popular among the nobility and bourgeoisie, supported by the growth of music publishing and the use of tablatures.

Daily life

Tall and narrow city housing

Ordinary Paris houses were tall, narrow structures of four or five stories, built with stone foundations, exposed wooden frames, and white plaster facades to prevent fires.