Trade with the Portuguese and the Dutch launched a craze for tobacco, bread, potatoes, clocks, pantaloons, and eyeglasses, the latter very often worn as a chic symbol of intellectual superiority rather than as an aid for poor eyesight.
Eyeglasses were traded for and were frequently used to symbolize superiority of intellect.
The town of L'Isle-sur-Serein is situated on an island in the river.