In 1788, a year of severe drought, the crops had been poor.

In addition to this, on the eve of the harvest,[1101] a terrible hail-storm burst over the region around Paris, from Normandy to Champagne, devastating sixty leagues of the most fertile territory, and causing damage to the amount of one hundred millions of francs.

Winter came on, the severest that had been seen since 1709.

At the close of December the Seine was frozen over from Paris to Havre, while the thermometer stood at 180 below zero.

A third of the olive-trees died in Provence, and the rest suffered to such an extent that they were considered incapable of bearing fruit for two years to come.