La fete du muguet

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The first of May has been an annual public holiday in France, known as La fête du travail (labour day) since 1948. It also marks a beautiful tradition “la fête du muguet” (lily of the valley festival).

Back on 1st May 1560, King Charles IX of France was presented with a bouquet of muguet (lily of the valley)  as a lucky charm. The king appreciated the gift so much that he decided to gift a bunch of lily of the valley to the women of his court every year on the 1st May. The gesture became more commonplace at the beginning of the 20th century with men presenting the flowers to women to show their affection.

Today, it has become traditional to give a sprig of the blooms (or send a card) as a token of love or friendship and good luck to close friends and family members. For just one day each year, the French government allows the tax-free sale of lily of the valley on the street to promote this tradition.



I remember going on a yearly outing with my parents and picking muguet in the woods. My mother would place them in vases around the house and the smell is really vivid in my memory to this day!

Labour day is also an opportunity for trade unions to campaign for and celebrate workers’ rights and social issues. Various marches ** are normally organised in most major cities. On a practical note, if you happen to be in France on 1st May, be aware that almost everything will be closed (including reduced train and buses timetables) in order to give all workers a well earned rest.



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