A flower to celebrate spring
Today is the first of May! All over the world people celebrate Labour Day and here in France it is a bank holiday accompanied by demonstrations by all the labour unions. But in typical French fashion, politics are mixed with romantic gestures…
It is customary here to give ladies a small bouquet of Lily of the Valley (known over here as le muguet) on the first of May. It dates back to the court of Charles de IX who decided to present every lady at his court with a bouquet of Lily of the Valley to celebrate the end of winter. The tradition stuck and, being a republic now, the custom is not reserved to the fine ladies of the court but to the fine French ladies everywhere! It is so lovely to walk around Paris on the first of May and see Lily of the Valley being sold on every street corner. You suddenly realise that spring is here and summer is just around the corner….
- Emilie
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What a lovely tradition!! Hope you got a bouquet of Lily of the Valley today!
xoxo
When we lived in Brussels we noticed the same tradition!
I love Lily of the Valley, and they smell divine…!
I am Italian and the Lily of the Valley was my Nonna’s favourite flower – she often talked of her love for them and how beautiful they were in Europe. She had LOTV in her wedding bouquet and though the real thing was not available for mine, I had them piped in icing on my wedding cake instead. This is a lovely tradition and I hope one day to be in Paris on May 1 to experience it
hmmmmmm………Lily is very beautiful flower and I love Lily of the valley…..and its smell too gud dude……….