The Opulence of La Rochelle Merchants in the 18th Century

What you can expect:

• Discover La Rochelle through the eyes of an 18th-century merchant's daughter.
• Explore the district of private mansions in La Rochelle, which reflects the lifestyle and splendor of the bourgeois merchant elite of the time.
• Examine the commercial relationships with Saint-Domingue (formerly Haiti) and the triangular trade of these families that dominated Rochelaise society.
• Be accompanied by a certified guide-lecturer who enthusiastically embodies her character in period costume.

Program

In the 18th century, the merchant bourgeoisie of La Rochelle benefited from its major colonial trade with the Antilles and the "slave trade." They mainly enriched themselves through sugar, the white gold of Saint-Domingue (formerly Haiti).
Suzanne Van Hoogwerff, a witness of this era, takes you from one private mansion to another in the footsteps of this merchant elite to which she belongs. She reveals their daily lives: business, meetings in small societies, the role of women, arming ships for the triangular trade, the little arrangements, and the big strategies to integrate this privileged milieu. You will also learn about their lifestyle, daily routines, food, clothing, and entertainment, including receptions, balls, and theater!

Get to Know Your Guide/Character:

I am Suzanne Van Hoogwerff, originally from a Dutch family settled in La Rochelle. In our family, it was my father, Pierre Jean, who successfully climbed the social ladder thanks to the white gold of Saint-Domingue. His qualities - hard working, frugal, and a good marriage - allowed him to join the "big family" of merchants. In a spirit of solidarity, he did not hesitate to help his own until he, like many of his friends, was affected by bankruptcy due to slave revolts.
I grew up in this environment and enjoyed receptions in the grand and beautiful homes of my city. Knowing all these families, their habits, their way of life, their successes, and their failures, I will be able to reveal their secrets to you...