La vie privée d'autrefois; Arts et métiers, modes, moeurs, usages des parisiens du XIIe au XVIIIe siècle. Les soins de toilette; Le savoir-vivre

A vivid portrait of Parisian life stretches from the medieval streets of the twelfth century to the elegant salons of the eighteenth. Drawing on a wealth of original documents, the work paints everyday scenes of work, dress and decorum, revealing how ordinary citizens navigated the shifting tides of fashion, trade and social expectation.

The narrative begins with the bustling world of the barber‑surgeon, a figure who once combined hair‑cutting, bloodletting and even complex operations within cramped, smoky shops. It follows the royal attempts to separate surgical practice from grooming, showing how kings and parliaments wrestled with public health and professional pride. Alongside this, the book traces the gradual change in attitudes toward cleanliness, from monastic indifference to a growing concern for personal hygiene among the populace.

Through detailed anecdotes and careful analysis, listeners will discover the rhythms of daily routine—what Parisians wore, how they presented themselves, and the subtle codes that governed their interactions—offering a richly textured glimpse into a world both familiar and foreign.