A Literary Tour de France
La Rochelle
Summary
| Population: | 16,200 in 1780. |
| Book Trade: | five booksellers and two small printers. |
| Institutions: | capital of Aunis, with royal Intendance military government and admiralty, Hôtel des monnaies mint, tax généralité, chamber of commerce, and bishopric. Bailliage court of justice |
| Culture |
college of medicine, large college, school of hydrography, learned academy, theater, concerts, and newspaper. High literacy (for entire département): male 54%, female 34%. Strong Protestant presence in former Huguenot bastion. |
| Communications: | major port on the Atlantic coast. Destination for diligence post road from Paris. |
| Economy: | commercial port city. Trade with Caribbean and Canada trade (sugar, coffee, indigo, cotton, fish, and hides), and with northern Europe. Slave trading. Wine and spirits, salt, horses, outlet for textiles from Poitou and paper from Angoulême area. |