Day 3249 (Friday) 1 st May 2026 This is the Negresco Hotel in Nice This is the Old Town of Nice. Our flowers are really looking good, especially these two. We’ll have a day off from French fun facts to concentrate on May 1 st – back to the facts tomorrow. Demos and flowers: What May 1 st really means to the French The traditional May Day demonstration in Paris. Photo by LIONEL BONAVENTURE / AFP May Day is celebrated around the world, but it has particular significance in France, as well as some quirky traditions from flowers to trees to bonfires. First and foremost. It's a day off. May 1 st is steeped in tradition in France but the reality is, most of the country just see it as a day off, or jour ferié, which means relaxing with friends and family or taking a long weekend, if it falls on the right day. It has a special status in law as a 'non working day', which means that only employees in essential industries can work, and must be paid double. For this reason,...