L'oille is a French potée or soup believed to be the forerunner of pot-au-feu composed of various meats and vegetables. It has been suggested by some authorities that the derivation of the word oille is from the Spanish olla podrida but it seems more likely that it is derived from oule, which is used in south-west France to describe an earthenware pot in which the dish is prepared. There are many examples of pot-à-oille (tureens) on display in museums, some of them very ornate indicating that this dish was enjoyed by people from all social classes, ingredients varying greatly.