Good Morning, I will be in Paris with my teenage daughters for our last day on May 1st. Does anyone know when/where they hold their labor day parades? While a google search confirms that they have a parade, one from/to (? can't quite tell which direction) the Bastille area, I cannot find anything with the time. Also, if you have been to the parade, any suggestions for a good viewing spot? We are staying at a VIP apartment on St. Andres des Arts, so if there is someplace nearby? Thanks so much for any info. Joann
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10623 posts
Last year there were several, the main one going up the Boulevard St. Michel, right next to Place St. Andres des Arts. Information on time and all the different groups demonstrating (called a demonstration, though you're right, it really is a parade with union and political party banners) will be in all the papers, including the English ones. It's a great cultural experience. The different unions and political parties participate in different demonstrations, but the main unions in France, CGT, CFDT, and FO, did go by St. Andre des Arts last year. There's plenty of room to view. By the way, the extreme right nationalist had a demonstration starting appropriately at Palais Royal while the Anarchist met at the left-wing Place des Fetes where the Communist Party has its headquarters. Both are very symbolic. Another May 1 tradition is getting lily-of-the-valley, a symbol of spring. It's sold on the streets, in pots in the grocery stores, in little bouquets, it's everywhere. This harps back to the more traditional May 1 celebrations, before it was a workers' holiday.
Posted by
OP
Massachusetts, USA
414 posts
Thank you Bets. It looks like we won't have far to go then. We are only about 2 -3 blocks from Blvd St. Michel. I will check the papers once we are there. We don't have much planned for our last day (good thing since there is not too much open anyway!) So I thought the parade could be interesting and then maybe just wander around an area we hadn't made it to yet earlier in the week. Thank you for the info!
Joann