Early French Prisons Le Grand and Le Petit Châtelets; Vincennes; The Bastile; Loches; The Galleys; Revolutionary Prisons

"Early French Prisons" by Arthur Griffiths is a chronicle that journeys into the grim past of France's penal institutions. Griffiths, with insights gained from his work in prison oversight, paints a detailed image of the justice and punishment methods employed in older French society. The book describes the start of the legal and prison systems during France's feudal era, highlighting how royal power shaped the growth of incarceration. It brings to light the terrible realities inside famous prisons like the Bastille and the Châtelets, revealing stories of mistreatment, moral decay, and the use of prisons as tools of political power. The writing emphasizes how these sites became linked with notable people and historical events, setting a grim stage for understanding the profound effects they had on both individual lives and the course of history.