May 1st is “La Fête du Travail” or Labor Day in France but it is also “La Fête du Muguet” a celebration that dates back to the Renaissance during Charles IX. It is a day we celebrate the blossoming of Lily of the Valley and the arrival of Spring. The tradition is to give your loved ones, friends and/or acquaintances a little bouquet or sprig of Muguet to bring good fortune and happiness! Today on May 1st in France it is given away or sold on every street corner. According to the language of flowers Lily of the Valley signifies “The return of happiness!”
Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis) is a herbaceous plant that grows in temperate regions and blooms in Spring. It has small bell-shaped flowers arranged in clusters with a very strong and pleasant fragrance. Lily of the Valley usually flowers in the woods, where it is cool and wet.
I remember picking some Muguet in the woods as a child in France! To grow it in a garden, it is best to plant it in a shady cool spot. In autumn Lily of the Valley produces small red berries fruits! Be careful, although beautiful all parts of Lily of the Valley are extremely toxic.
Lily of the Valley is an exquisite fragrance and widely used in luxury soaps and perfumes. However, the essential oils of Lilly of the Valley are very difficult to extract and most French perfumes such as Diorissimo by Christian Dior have to resort to using a synthetic version. Check out our bestseller Liliy of the Valley fragrances here.
Happy May 1st & Happy Lilly of the Valley Day!
En France on célèbre La fête du travail le 1er mai mais c’est aussi le jour du muguet qui annonce l’arrivée du Printemps. Une tradition qui remonte à la Renaissance à l’époque de Charles IX, on offre à nos proches, amis et associés un brin de muguet signe de bonheur et de chance car selon le langage des fleurs le muguet signifie : le retour du bonheur!
Le muguet (Convallaria majalis) est une plante herbacée des régions tempérées qui fleurit au printemps dont les petites fleurs en forme de clochettes disposées en grappe ont un parfum très fort et agréable. Le muguet fleurit généralement dans les sous-bois, où il fait frais et humide. Je me souviens des ceuillettes de muguet dans les bois de mon enfance en France. Pour cultiver du muguet en jardin il est préférable de le planter dans un endroit ombragé et frais. En automne le muguet produit des petites baies rouges mais attention toutes les parties du muguet sont extrêmement toxiques.
Le muguet est un parfum exquis et largement utilisé dans les savons et les parfums de luxe. Il parait que l’essence de muguet est très difficile à extraire et c’est pourquoi la plupart des parfums français tel que Diorissimo de Christian Dior ont recours a une recomposiiton synthétique. Voici pour vous une sélection de nos parfums au muguet.
Joyeuses fête du 1er mai! et Vive le muguet!
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