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If you’re traveling to France in the spring, an important holiday to know about is May Day. Known as La Fête du Travail (Labor Day), this holiday is an important part of French culture and tradition. While this May 1st holiday is celebrated in many countries around the world, there are unique aspects to May Day in France. The custom of giving lilies of the valley to loved ones dates back several centuries, giving this day its other name: La Fête du Muguet. Whether you’re looking to celebrate in France or at home, Rosetta Stone can help you develop a deeper understanding of the French language to enrich your connection to French culture and popular holidays like May Day.
Origins of May Day in France
There are two main cultural components to Labor Day in France: giving lilies of the valley to loved ones and celebrating workers’ rights. While these two traditions seem to be and are completely unrelated, they are both large parts of the festivities in France on May 1st.
La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day)
With its scientific name meaning “of or belonging to May,” it is no surprise that lily of the valley is the emblematic flower of May Day in France. La Fête du Muguet (Lily of the Valley Day) can trace its roots back to 16th-century King Charles IX, who received a bouquet of lilies of the valley. He enjoyed this gift so much that he began giving lilies of the valley to the ladies of his court as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. As any good tradition does, the custom spread throughout France for a period of time.
The custom resurfaced after the French Revolution during social events like bals du muguet (lily of the valley balls), where French people danced and socialized each year on May 1st. The giving of lilies of the valley officially resurfaced in 1900 at a gala in Paris and started making its way through French culture once again. Fashion designer Christian Dior also embraced the lily of the valley as a lucky symbol throughout his career, incorporating le muguet into clothing designs and perfumes.
La Fête du Travail (Labor Day)
The origins of May Day as a symbol of workers’ rights dates back to the Haymarket Affair, which took place in Chicago in 1886. As part of a larger national movement in the United States, labor protestors had violent run-ins with police while marching in support of the eight-hour workday. Three years later, May 1st became the international date to represent the struggle for fair working conditions and workers’ rights, as decided by an international group of socialists and trade unions. U.S. president Grover Cleveland decided to officially designate Labor Day as the first Monday in September as many states already celebrated on that date. Most countries, especially in Europe, decided to keep May 1st as Labor Day.
The origins of May Day in France date back to 1890. Labor Day, known as La Fête du Travail, began a year after the international date was established. French labor groups demonstrated in the streets to advocate for an eight-hour workday, just as they were doing in Chicago and elsewhere in the United States. It was not until 1919, however, that the eight-hour workday was officially enacted in France. La Fête du Travail officially became a jour férié (national holiday) in 1948. More recently, France enacted a 35-hour workweek in 2000.
Traditions for celebrating Labor Day in France
The French celebrate many holidays in France throughout the year. However, May 1st is the only public holiday in France where employers are legally obligated to give their employees the day off. If you visit France over this famous holiday, you’ll see traditions celebrated in closely connected ways to the two separate origins of the holiday, La Fête du Muguet and La Fête du Travail.
Giving lily of the valley to loved ones
Following in the footsteps of Charles IX, many French people still give lilies of the valley to friends and family on May 1st. The flowers are a symbol of appreciation and love and carry hopeful sentiments that come with the arrival of spring. In France, you can find lilies of the valley in grocery stores, flower shops, or local street vendors in the weeks leading up to May 1st. Many people spend the day carrying a sprig or bouquet of muguet around with them as they attend celebrations.
Parades and protests for labor rights
Since the obligatory day off was granted in 1947, many people in France have celebrated La Fête du Travail by taking to the streets. Labor unions and other groups often hold parades or marches to commemorate the date. In many cases, they join forces with other current political movements in the fight for continued progress and reform. These values have been quintessentially French since the French Revolution in 1789, though you don’t want to confuse May 1st with the fête nationale (national holiday) on July 14th: Bastille Day.
May 1st is also a day used by some politicians to bring attention to their causes, sometimes controversially. In 2023, the issue of President Emmanuel Macron’s pension reform was brought to the forefront across the country on May 1st. Similar to the original incident of the Haymarket Affair on Labor Day in 1886, many labor protests caused clashes between demonstrators and police.
What to expect on May 1st in France
Since May 1st in France is a national holiday (and a day where workers are legally entitled to the day off), you’ll probably see a lot of “closed” signs in shop windows. You can expect tourist attractions, including museums, to be closed on this day. Public transportation may also be affected, either running limited options or shutting down altogether. Most shops, pharmacies, and restaurants will also be closed.
Of course, this varies by city, so a major city likeParis will have more stores and restaurants open than perhaps a smaller village in the Champagne region. Be sure to plan ahead if you will be in France on May 1st. And don’t forget to brush up on travel phrases in French before you go!
Get to know France even better with Rosetta Stone
While you are probably more likely to buy a bouquet of lilies of the valley than join in on a French demonstration, you can celebrate May Day in France or at home. Whether you’re looking to perfect your French or deepen your understanding of French culture, the Rosetta Stone app can help you achieve your goals. Features including stories and live lessons are the perfect way to naturally improve your French. Then you’ll feel more confident about discussing the rights of laborers if you’re in France on May Day.