Louis César, Count of Vexin

What people wore

Essential Women's Clothing

Urban working women typically wore a five-item ensemble: a top (casaquin or corset), a skirt (jupe or jupon), an apron for work, a shawl or neckerchief, and a cloak for cold weather.

Daily life

Water meant trips to sources

In Paris, water was commonly hauled or bought, and shared stairwells/courtyards were practical places for water carrying, storage, and laundry.

Work

Common Jobs in the 17th Century

Workers in cities were often artisans like bakers, masons, and tailors, while domestic servants, porters, and boatmen were also common, often relying on household ties and daily labor. In the countryside, most people were peasants who worked in fields or as day laborers performing heavy tasks like harvesting and woodcutting.

Music

Dancing and Music in Court Apartments

At the royal apartments in Versailles, ordinary court life included regular music and dancing in the Grand Apartment, where attendees could freely enjoy playing games, eating snacks, and dancing to violins and oboes.

At the table

Daily Bread Consumption Requirements

To meet daily calorie needs, men typically consumed three pounds of bread per day, while women consumed two pounds and children one pound.

Getting around

Traveling on foot was common for many

Ordinary people, such as peddlers and pilgrims, typically traveled on foot, covering 20 to 30 kilometers a day and wearing out a pair of shoes every 15 days.

What it cost

Cost of shoes and bread

A servant paid 10 livres and 5 sous for a new pair of shoes in May 1703, while bread prices fluctuated significantly, such as when he paid 7 livres 9 sous 9 deniers for bread in May 1705.