May is a great month in France

Locals playing petanque under the blossom

There are four public holidays here in May and because of the day they fall that means four long weekends. What a month !

This is my muguets 

First – May Day or Fête du Travail. On this day you may be given a bouquet of muguets, that is ‘lily of the valley’. The custom goes back to Charles IX who was given a bouquet as a good luck gift on 1^st May  1561. He so loved the idea that he decided to give a  bouquet to each of the ladies of his court, and so began a lovely tradition. It is said that, if someone gives you muguets then you are loved.

This is also the day for making omelette à l’aillet. The aillet is a garlic that looks like a spring onion and only appears at this time of year in Aquitaine. At repas and fêtes all over the country giant omelettes are being created for sharing. We are going to a marché de fleurs and vide grenier in a local village where they will be serving omelette à l'aillet for breakfast - with a glass of wine, of course.

enough omelette for everyone

Breakfast !

Second – VE Day or Armistice de 1945. Commemoration ceremonies are held at war memorials in every village and town, usually followed by a glass or two of wine. We must always remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

The gardens have been replanted and the flagposts in place at our
 village memorial ready for VE Day.

Third – Ascension Day. As this is a religious holiday many people attend church services and it is usually a quiet day spent with family and friends. As it is a Thursday many will also take Friday  and make un petit vacance.

And finally – Whit Monday or Lundi de Pentecôte. Another religious holiday usually spent at home, or at a marché.

As a day off is always a good excuse for a marché or a vide grenier, these will also pop up in villages everywhere on these holidays. The french adore a marché, so expect crowds. Last year we discovered a wonderful marché in the little village of Colombier near the chateau de Monbazillac overlooking Bergerac. We know it was busy , but the advertising for this year says that there were 8,000 people at this market on the one day. No wonder we had to queue up for a drink.

crowds at Colombier marché

The countryside is looking very different from the dull leafless vistas of winter. There has been lovely white and pink blossom everywhere in the orchards and now leaves are popping up on trees and , most importantly, the vines. We have had some very ordinary weather this spring, lots of cloud and drizzly rain. It may be good for the garden but we are hoping that May brings the sunshine.

Spring in the Dordogne valley

Bon weekend mes amis