Françoise d'Aubigné, Marquise de Maintenon

Françoise d'Aubigné, known first as Madame Scarron and subsequently as Madame de Maintenon, was a French noblewoman and the second wife of King Louis XIV from 1683 until his death in 1715. Although she was never considered queen of France, as the marriage was carried out in secret, Madame de Maintenon had considerable political influence as one of the King's closest advisers and the governess of the royal children.

Cost of simple clothing in 1626

In 1626, a servant's set of new clothes consisting of a doublet, a chemisette, and breeches cost 6 livres and 8 sols, a significant sum for basic, modest fabrics.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Travelers on foot wore out shoes quickly

Ordinary people frequently traveled on foot, covering 20 to 30 kilometers a day, which meant they wore out a pair of shoes every two weeks.

Living conditions in modest urban homes

Ordinary homes in cities were often tall, narrow buildings where upper floors were darker and difficult to heat, with limited light due to overhanging structures. A single room often served multiple purposes, including cooking, sleeping, and childcare.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Cost of pigs and wood in 17th century

In the 17th century, a single pig could cost approximately 24 livres, while a cart of wood was valued at 11 livres.

Common jobs for ordinary people

Common occupations in 17th-century French cities included masons, carpenters, tailors, bakers, and domestic servants, while the countryside relied on laborers, farmers, and vine-growers. Many small-scale artisans, such as cobblers, operated from narrow, street-level shops where they were known as neighborhood news sources.

Long hours and daily wages

A typical workday followed the sun, starting around dawn and often lasting 11 to 15 hours, including breaks for meals. Workers in Paris and Normandy generally earned about ten sous tournois per day for skilled labor and five sous for unskilled work.

No envelopes for seventeenth-century mail

Letters were not placed in envelopes; they were folded and sealed with wax, and the recipient usually paid for the delivery.

Unified postal rates and money transfers

By 1627, France unified postal rates and allowed the sending of money through the mail, up to a limit of 100 livres.