C'est le 1er Mai!
What better combination than Martine Lambert fraises/strawberry ice cream + a sprig of lilly of the valley/muguet?
It's tradition.
Shop owners give you a sprig of muguet on 1 mai I got this at patisserie Jean Millet where I bought a citrony sable/cookie.
Everyone walks around clutching a sprig or bouquet.
On the bus
Much muguet.
In fact all Paris is scented with sweet muguet aromas.
You just breath in...
 |
| At florist Eric Chauvin, the creme de la creme of muguet bouquets. |
His vendeuse wears such a pretty bow on her shoulder - so French!
Traditionally the chocolate shops sell briefly choco pots de muguet
Put a bird on your pot de muguet at La Petite Chocolatiere
La Mere du Famille displays their new book as well...
I went looking for Dior's muguet and found instead lush perfume Caron.
I could have stayed all day dreaming in front of their windows on Avenue Matignon...
Ah...the smell of it...
Merci Muguet du Bonheur!
Even Mariage Freres has a lily of the valley tea!
Signs in the Metro tell you to GET OUTSIDE in the fresh air!!!
Yesterday was glorious in Paris.
Everyone was out getting the fresh air.
(how many ladybugs in this picture?)
How was your 1er Mai?
How was your 1er Mai?
I come to your post again.
ReplyDeleteIt's so great that I like it very much
Makes a change from all that rain! Hurray for the sun!
ReplyDeleteAnother visual treat, Carol, so much to enjoy, merci!
ReplyDeleteI think I'll have to go and douse myself with Diorissimo!
Happy belated 1st May. In England, we must be the only country in Europe that doesn't celebrate the 1st May. Being German, I silently celebrate.
ReplyDeleteA sprig of lilly of the valley/muguet? How very charming...
Indeed a viusal treat...
P.S.:
ReplyDeleteCarol, have you by any chance seen Diorissimo in the original bottle?
I would LOVE to but that website is FORBIDDEN! ouch
DeleteWell dear Carol.
ReplyDeleteWhen I finished flipping through this charming May Day post, I smiled and could only think;
"Yet another pile of reasons Ms.PB should be calling Paris "home."
You have me coveting..that tea.. I have seen their tins..and seen their teas..never this one:) How sweet.
ReplyDeleteI love that some shopkeepers offer a sprig of LOTV.It's one of my very favorites..it was my mom's also..and I always have Yardley LOTV here..So Muguet Du Bonheur..made my heart skip a beat.
What a duo..the tea and perfume:)
Thou shalt not covet.
Ours is just springing up from the ground..even in the driveway and many places I don't want it..but it's been living here for a century on this lot I bet.It has squatter's rights.And what a pretty squatter.
Pretty pretty post Carol.
WHAT A LOVELY MAY DAY IN PARIS.
ReplyDeletein the UK it was a day looking out the window watching the rain,there was no break in it all day.
So it was great to see your may day. Wish we had something like Paris giving out lilies, just looking at your pictures you just had to smile.
For luck here we say 'White Rabbits three times.
When my husband and I went to Paris we came in on the train from London. Stepping out into the city we were amazed by all the lily of the valley. Not realizing till later it was May 1. What a fabulous day that was, our first time there... The day was warm and wonderful. Thanks for the memory:) FranT-We3
ReplyDeleteCarol - your blog is my daily dose of Paris - and I devour it! And this was the day to tell you so - since my blog is mayfirsteverlasting! Thank you for all the inspiration - love, love, love it -
ReplyDeleteThanks for this wonderfully interesting post. I learnt about May 1st recently, but didn't realise the extent of it. Extraordinary that the shops give out a sprig with purchases too. So many wonderful seasons and traditions in Paris. I hope to experience them all one day.
ReplyDeleteI love this post! It's such a beautiful tradition. PB makes brings me such joy, reminding me why I love Paris!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely tradition! (And yet another reason to move to Paris!) I saw muguet blooming yesterday in a beautiful botanical garden I was visiting. Not quite the same as being in Paris, I admit, but still very nice!
ReplyDeleteThanks for those bouquets! I had my own from a friend's garden, but I could swear that I caught a whiff of fragrance from your post...
ReplyDeleteI just love this tradition! Muguet des Bois by Coty was the first cologne I bought for my 12 year old self at Woolworth's. I was inspired by a photo of lilies in my junior high French Book.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post about lilies of the valley. More scooter photos please.
ReplyDeleteLove seeing adults on scooters.
Would you ride one?
Thanks for a bright spot in my day!
those scooters move fast...hard to catch them!
DeleteI'll keep trying
Would I ride one?
Maybe...I'll toss a coin
cheers
That's "PB brings me..." :)
ReplyDeleteI picked some muguets from my garden (they're from my grandma's plants) and put them by my bedside on May 1. They're so fragrant. My dreams were of spring.
ReplyDeleteThanks to your heads up about it, I made sure to pick some and bring them in spite of the mud and rain. I love love love that they celebrate with this tradition and it's enough for me to want to be in Paris next May Day...oddly, I did not make the connection until yesterday...duh!
ReplyDeleteI have only been to Paris once in the last few years, but plan to return next year. I have learned so many things from your blog about new places that I want to go in Paris. Maybe you should publish a travel book for people traveling to Paris and have your lovely illustrations in it! I share your love of macaroons and too frequently go to a macaroon shop here in Charleston, that the couple who own it, are from France.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your blog!
Oh my. I have to come to Paris on my birthday one year. (5/1) I've always loved muguet des bois!
ReplyDeleteYep, Martine Lambert ice cream is one of the best in Paris !
ReplyDeleteI love the ice cream and the lilly sprig. It's so Spring:)
ReplyDeleteThe kids in your photos always look like they're from central casting! I guess Ms Druckerman's observations on upbringing are correct!
Love the muguets! Lovely tradition. Happy May.
ReplyDeleteYour post sent me skipping out to the garden to bring in my own muguets...alas, with out early spring, mine have finished blooming already. So I will just have to enjoy yours! Merci!
ReplyDeleteSkip skip skip to my lou
Deletevery cute image of you J!!
Very spring! What a lovely tradition... I hope next time I am able to go to Paris, I will be able to go during this time.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ecklection.com
How nice and Springlike it all looks :)
ReplyDeleteWe are slipping gently into Autumn here.
Bright sunny crisp days and the nights are smelling like woodsmoke.
La, it is nice here at this time of year.
besitos, C
I so envy you, Carol, getting to run around Paris shopping and finding fun things, like all the muguets, what a life!! :)
ReplyDelete1st of all you can NOT shop on 1er du Mai. EVERYTHING is closed.
DeleteIt's like Labor Day for us.
2nd I do not shop much except for pastry and yogurt. Paris is cher$$$
I do run around like crazy -merci Navigo carte!
I wish I could slow down but I don't know how.
I tried in Galeries Lafayette cafe
No one came to take my order.
I fell asleep for 15 minutes.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Then I left and they wished me,
'au revoir'.
!!!
I will sleep at home next time :(
Love seeing those scooters. Where can they park them when not in use in town without being stolen? A fun post getting to go shopping in Paris with you.
ReplyDeleteWhere can they park them when not in use in town without being stolen?
ReplyDeleteThey chain them to the school fences- I have a shot somewhere...
I don't think there is much stealing of scooters but I could be very wrong.