Louis XV of France

Louis XV, known as Louis the Beloved, was King of France from 1 September 1715 until his death in 1774. He succeeded his great-grandfather Louis XIV at the age of five. Until he reached maturity in 1723, the kingdom was ruled by his grand-uncle Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, as Regent of France.

Aprons as Occupational Markers

On working days, both men and women typically wore aprons, which often became stained by their specific occupations, such as printing or butchery.

Origin of the term Grisette

The term grisette described poor working-class women, named after the simple gray woolen cloth used to make their dresses.

Teaching Dance via Written Notation

Dance masters used specialized choreographic notation created by Raoul Auger Feuillet to distribute and teach new dance steps between Paris and the provinces. By 1721, collections contained dozens of dances composed by masters like Pécour and Balon for the French court.

The Pocket-Sized Teacher's Violin

To make professional dance lessons convenient at home, masters used the pochette, a small, boat-shaped violin that could be easily carried in a pocket or sachet.

Common modes of personal travel

While the wealthy used carriages, ordinary people frequently traveled on foot or relied on pack animals like mules for longer journeys between towns.

Regulated river transport fares

For river travel, fares were strictly regulated and often posted on metal plates attached to the masts of the boats to prevent overcharging.

Intense use of single-room dwellings

Ordinary homes often consisted of a single room used for all daily activities, including cooking, sleeping, and childcare, with furniture rearranged throughout the day. In rural areas, houses were typically made of wattle and daub with thatched roofs, often lacking glass windows and floorboards.

Limited and irregular primary education

Primary schooling was rare, especially for girls, and often conducted irregularly by the local priest or his vicar. Education was limited to the basics of reading, writing, and the catechism.

Famine food made of fern

During the 1709 famine, bread became so expensive that people made desperate loaves out of fern, which turned their skin yellow and left them too weak to stand.

Cost of living for laborers

In the early 18th century, a laborer earned about 112 livres per year and spent over half of his income, 53 percent, on grain and bread.

Cost of bread and daily wages

In 1713 and 1714, a pound of bread cost 2 sols and 9 deniers, while a common manual laborer earned between 7 and 14 sols per day depending on the region.

Worker wages in the early 1700s

In the early 18th century, a rural manual worker earned about 9 sols per day, but could only find work for about 180 days out of the year.

A long sunrise-to-sunset workday

The workday typically lasted eleven to thirteen hours, starting at sunrise and continuing until sunset, with short breaks for meals.

Cleaning up after lavish noble feasts

In large households, kitchen staff had to work for six days straight just to wash all the china and cutlery used after a major dinner feast.

Average daily speed of mail transport

Mail was typically transported by post chaise at an average speed of about 30 to 40 kilometers per day.

Travel time for letters in Europe

In the early 18th century, ordinary mail took about twelve to fifteen days to travel from Paris to Madrid and about four days from Paris to London.