This is a historical investigation into the charity and social assistance provided to the poor in France. The author examines the evolution of the French welfare system from the Middle Ages to modern times, providing an overview of the policies, institutions, and practices aimed at alleviating poverty and social inequalities. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.