Sigismund Casimir of Poland

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.

Daily life

Water access and sanitation challenges

Water in cities was often fetched from public wells or carried from the river, and because Seine water was polluted by waste, aqueducts were increasingly used to bring cleaner spring water to public fountains. Modest households managed sanitation manually, often relying on daily routines to dispose of refuse and chamber pots.

Work

Memorable facts about daily life

Unemployed women often gathered at the Cemetery of the Innocents to share job leads and tips, as the location was famously believed to decompose bodies in just nine days. Cobblers were also known for fighting with cobblers from rival corporations using their leather-working tools called tire-pieds.

Music

Court ballet and street performance culture

The ballet de cour featured masked performers in elaborate costumes, with dances often organized around complex themes from mythology or daily life. These courtly performances influenced the repertoire of street singers, who adapted elite airs for wider public audiences.

At the table

Stale bread soaked in soup

Ordinary families relied heavily on a bread-based diet, often consuming stale loaves by soaking them in liquid to make soup. Because bread was baked in large batches to last weeks, it was kept dense and sturdy.

Getting around

Carriages were mostly for the wealthy

While wealthy travelers used private carriages, these vehicles were unaffordable for most people, who relied on walking or slower, less comfortable public coaches.

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.