In France, May 1st is La Fête du Travail (Labor Day). It’s a public holiday, which many appreciate—unless it falls on a Sunday, when it can feel a little disappointing.
May 1st is also La Fête du Muguet. The custom is to offer loved ones a small bouquet of lily-of-the-valley for good luck and to welcome spring. Traditionally families would go into the woods and pick muguet together. In urban areas people typically buy bouquets from florists or from the many temporary stands that appear on street corners and roads across France. These stands are often run as fundraisers, and sometimes sellers endure cold or rainy weather with few customers. This year, however, spring arrived early with warm, sunny days, which has helped sales.
Separately, the latest issue of the New York Times T magazine is published today and features a piece I wrote about “cook-dating,” a new concept in Paris that combines cooking classes and dating. The article, titled “Love at First Bite,” is available online.