1 May Suggestions?

Yes, most museums will be closed but the Jacquemart-Andre is open every day of the year. Public transportation will run on holiday schedules. The Seine cruise boats will be running, well not running but moving on water. If the weather is fine, maybe visit a park like Butte de Chaumont. Otherwise, just stroll in the Marais or Place de la Bastille on the Promenade Plantee. And buy some muguets des bois (lily of the valley)

It doesn't yet have the 2018 information posted, so the website of the Paris Convention and Visitors Bureau should be bookmarked for checking later. Last year, May 1st fell on a Monday, whereas this year it is on a Tuesday. Some museums have special policies about opening when a public holiday falls on the day they're normally closed, so last year's actions are not predictive of this year's.

May 1 does tend to be a challenging day. I arrived in Nice on that date last year, only to find no public transportation running from the airport and darn few taxis. The city was very, very quiet.

definitely a parks and gardens day. The Seine Cruises, the Eiffel Tower and Jacquemart Andre are open but pretty much everything else will be closed. Might be worth making a dinner reservation ahead.

We arrived over 35 years ago in Venice on May 1 not at all aware that this was the biggest holiday in Western Europe except Christmas and New Years. No boats were running and we had to lug our bags (pre wheelie days and of course first trip so overpacked) a couple of miles to our hotel over all those bridges.

We were in Paris last year on May 1. Our biggest challenge was the rental car return (we changed return locations for 20e as to not deal with the stress on our last day). Other than people selling little white flowers and a few buses not running it did not feel very different. It turned out to be one of my favorite. We walked along the Seine, had coffee and chocolate crossiants in Luxembourg Gardens and revisited some churches that we had rushed through in previous visits.

Depending upon your crowd tolerance, the May Day parade/demonstration that takes place around Republique might be of interest.
Public transportation at these metro stops might be affected. Buses that cross the axis Nation to Republique most likely will be rerouted. This is indeed a big day in "working class" Paris.

http://www.partyearth.com/paris/holidays/may-day-7/

Thanks everyone! Let's hope the weather is nice so we can enjoy a relaxing day in a park!

Another thing to do is go to La Defense and take the elevator to the top of the Grande Arche. It is open every day and the view from the top is worth the trip. There used also to be a small art exhibit up there but after the Arche having been closed for so long, I don't know if art has been reinstated.

I forgot— the other thing we did May 1 was go up the Eiffel Tower as in all our visits we had never done that. Tickets go on sale in the next few days for May 1.

I just walked on May 1 this last year! I planned to go to Jacquemart-Andre but instead walked to the ET and enjoyed the atmosphere there, then along the river. Weather was chilly and windy so do make sure you have some layers and are prepared for cool temps. It looks like you are from MI so you're likely more prepared than someone from the South!

I loved seeing everyone buy the muguet bouquets that Norma mentioned. They started selling them a few days ahead but many more at florists on the actual day of May 1. I also noted a few small tables set up with various charity and other organizations selling them. I think one near me was maybe in support of a local ambulance group? If you are there for a few days, get one for your hotel room. They are small bunches, just a few Euro but seem so spring-y! I wasn't sure what protocol was for giving them to others but I bought a bunch for the hotel reception woman who is always so kind to me. She looked so pleased and said yes it was OK for a woman to give a woman muguets but she might just have been trying to not let me be embarrassed if I had made a huge gaffe!

There did not seem to be a problem with restaurants being open. There were a LOT of people out and around enjoying a day off work.

So far I have Luxembourg Gardens, little white flowers and maybe a river cruise on our list for 1 May. Someone mentioned churches, is it safe to assume many are open for tours that day (and not just for mass)?

Oh my goodness, I am hijacking my own thread! I just realized that 8 May is also an observed holiday. Will the closings and suggestions for 1 May apply to 8 May?

You will have to check out church opening hours individually church by church as many wouldn't be normally open on Tuesday.
There will be fewer closings on May 8th, but like May first the holiday is on Tuesday so many businesses will choose to "faire le pont" and take the Monday off. Tourist areas will pay less attention to this custom than the rest of Paris.

We took a very interesting tour through Pere Lachaise cemetery with a "Paris Walks" tour costing 12 euros on May 1.

The walking tour is a brilliant idea!

The Metro will run as scheduled.
The Buses may or may not run on the Sunday schedule - and there may be manifestations blocking the way - so the Buses may not run at all until its over.

All the holidays are the same, in May. May 1st is the biggest day.
Other than that there are 4 of them: 1, 8, 10, and 21.
You can certainly go to Mass at any church you want to go to. At Notre Dame, there is usually a sign "Messe" (Mass) on the left hand door. You don't have to line up.