In France, what is the official name of May Day?
Answer
Fête du Travail
In France, what is the official name of May Day? It is officially called Fête du Travail.
In France, May 1 is the public holiday known as la Fête du Travail, literally “Labour Day” or “Work Day.” It commemorates the international workers' movement and the campaign for an eight-hour working day, rather than simply marking the arrival of spring.
The name has a complicated history. The Vichy regime used the title “Fête du Travail et de la Concorde sociale” during the Second World War. After the war, the designation Fête du Travail was officially established in 1948. French labor unions and historians often prefer “Journée internationale des travailleurs” or “Journée internationale de lutte pour les droits des travailleurs” because they consider “Fête du Travail” less politically precise.
Another distinctive French tradition is offering sprigs of lily of the valley, or muguet, on May 1. This floral custom is separate from the holiday's labor history. France's May 1 should also not be confused with the September Labor Day observed in the United States and Canada.