Salons and the Salonnières of Paris

Much Enlightenment conversation happened in salons, regular gatherings in the homes of wealthy Parisian women. Hostesses such as Marie-Thérèse Geoffrin, Marie du Deffand, Julie de Lespinasse and Suzanne Necker invited writers, scientists, artists, diplomats and visiting foreigners to discuss books, politics and ideas. Geoffrin famously held separate weekly dinners for artists and for men of letters. The salonnière chose guests, set the topics and kept debate polite, so that people of different ranks and opinions could exchange ideas.

Historian Dena Goodman has argued that salonnières effectively governed the 'Republic of Letters', making them central rather than decorative. Other historians stress that salons were exclusive, open mainly to the wealthy and well connected, and that women's influence there did not translate into formal rights. Salons nonetheless show that the Enlightenment was a social practice as well as a body of texts, built through conversation, reading aloud and letters.