A May Day Tradition

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I was looking at the different ways countries celebrate the 1st May. Many of the traditional English rites go back to Anglo-Saxon times, closely associated with celebrating spring-time fertility. Morris Dancing and the crowning of a May Queen are two events that I always think of. But down in Cornwall some places have a Flower Boat Ritual. Padstow I think still has one of the oldest of all fertility rites, when the Hobby Horse dances through the streets.

Some of our European neighbours such as Germany Sweden and Finland celebrate on the night before. We have a French speaking Latvian friend in Chinon who we see quite often. She's actually over there with her family at the moment. 1 May is celebrated there as in so many other places, but there is another significant reason. On this day in 1920, the Constitutional Assembly - the first democratically elected parliament of the Republic of Latvia - convened for its first session, to draft and pass the state constitution. We're guessing that there's lots of celebrating and hoping she's having a great time.

In France the celebration of spring is denoted by the selling of little bunches of muguets/lilies-of-the-valley as a good-luck charm, usually for a one or two euros. It's the only time when flowers can be sold on the street without a permit. The story about the custom is that it began in the sixteenth century, when wedding banns were posted at the beginning of May. Brides-to-be or someone from the family, hung little bundles or wreaths of muguets in their doorways.

Ladurée: Lily-of-the-valley

Les Muguets or the idea of them are used in all sorts of ways. As buttonholes, wedding stationary, floral arrangements. But there is a place in Paris called Ladurée which for a limited period only, 1- 6 May, produces Lily of the Valley flavoured macaroons. I don't need an excuse to go back to Paris, but that certainly makes a springtime visit even more enticing. If they  taste as good as they look in the photo, these macaroons can only be heavenly. Actually thinking about it, I haven't eaten a macaroon for ages. Note: add macarons (as they're called here)
to shopping list.


Our May Day was a mixture of things. Being a Thursday we went into Chinon for the market. We knew some traders weren't going to be around, but there was more than enough choice of essentials. People were selling lilies-of-the-valley on street corners on market stalls, just generally in the market and pretty much all over town. We met up with some friends for a coffee at Le Promenade, which is a Café Bistro+hotel, and right next door to the market. On the way out we bought some muguets. Then went back home, dropped of the shopping and then drove on to Panzoult, where the annual wine fair was taking place. We met up with a group of French friends there and bumped into other local friends and neighbours as well. So it was a really fun tasting. The caves at Panzoult make a great setting, so dramatic and unexpected. It's always a thoroughly enjoyable event to go to. There were about twenty-five wine producers and stalls both in and outside the cave which were offering other types of produce. The weather was a bit sniffy again. But as usual people were there determined to have a good time.