A heterogenous series of sans serifs with roots in 19th-century France. Exact origin unclear. Considerable stylistic differences between the styles and also different design details between some sizes.

Shown by Deberny & Cie in three all-caps styles: Lettres Simples-allongées (condensed), Lettres Simple-larges (wide), Lettres Simples-serrés (narrow), Lettres Simples (regular) [c.1878 specimen]. Lettres Simples-amples is a wide light style [c.1894 specimen]. Charactères Simples-allongées is a condensed style with lowercase [c.1880s specimen].

Later shown in seven styles w/o lowercase named Lettres Simples and six styles with lowercase named Charactères Simples:
Lettres Simples-étroits (compressed), Lettres Simples-amples (wide light), Lettres Simples-maigre (light), Lettres Simples-allongées (condensed), Lettres Simples (regular), Lettres Simple-larges (wide), Lettres Simples-éclairées (round w/ open SE shade), Charactères Simples-étroits (compressed), Charactères Simples-italiques (italic), Charactères Simples-serrés (narrow), Charactères Simples (regular, shown; distinguished by slightly open joints in ‘bdpq’ and descending alternates for ‘AMNPRS’ etc.), Charactères Simples-larges (wide), Charactères simples-italiques-gras (bold italic) [c.1920 specimen].

Antiques No. 8 is a wood typeface similar to Charactères simples-larges, but with straight ‘R’ leg [1930s D&P specimen].

Five styles were still shown in a post-1950 specimen by Deberny & Peignot: Simples étroites, Initiales Simples allongées, Simples larges, Initiales Simples larges, and Initiales Simples amples. Styles named Initiales have no lowercase.