A Literary Tour de France


Population: 83,00 in 1780.
Book Trade: twenty-five booksellers and eight printers. Active book trade and large printing industry. Guild, chambre syndicale, and inspector of the book trade.
Institutions: capital of Guyenne, with royal Intendance, military government and admiralty, parlement high court of justice, Cour des aides financial court, Hôtel des monnaies mint, tax généralité, chamber of commerce, and archbishopric.
Culture: university, large college, learned academy, academy of painting, theater, concerts, newspaper, and reading cabinet. Literacy (for entire département): male 27%, female 11%. Large Protestant community.
Communications: France’s main Atlantic port, on mouth of Garonne river. Destination on diligence post road from Paris, continuing to Spain and to Toulouse, Marseille, and Italy.
Economy: thriving Atlantic port trading with Caribbean islands and northern Europ. Wine and spirits, sugar, indigo, coffee, fishing.

Booksellers in Bordeaux