1 May: origins and history

The month of May is often associated with bank holidays. There are three: 1 May, Labour Day, 8 May, the Armistice of the Second World War, and 30 May, Ascension Thursday. The 1st of May, also called Labour Day, is a day celebrating workers. This holiday is celebrated worldwide and is very often a day off. While its date varies by country, in France and Switzerland it coincides with International Workers’ Day: 1 May.

International Workers’ Day has its origins in the United States, at the end of the 19th century. The labour movement was fighting for the eight-hour working day. To force American companies to decide, employees went on strike on 1 May 1886, during Moving Day. In Chicago, this movement continued until 3 May, when a bomb exploded during the demonstration, killing a policeman.

In France, from 1890 onwards, French workers took to the habit of marching on 1 May. They wear a sprig of lily of the valley on their lapel, symbolising spring. A few years later, the tradition developed of giving lily of the valley to one’s loved ones on 1 May. While Marshal Pétain renamed it “Workers’ Day” during the Vichy regime, 1 May is indeed called “Labour Day”. It was in 1946 that 1 May became a public holiday in France.

1 May is often the site of inter-union demonstrations in the biggest cities in France. Every year, a long procession marches through the streets of Paris. This year, the departure was given from Place du 18 Juin 1940 at Montparnasse, heading towards Place d’Italia. Between 28,000 and 80,000 people marched that day in Paris.

1 May is also an opportunity to enjoy an extra day off to pursue one’s passions. We hope you had a pleasant time, with family or friends.