五月特輯・

鈴蘭與香氣的軌跡

Muguet & Sillage — A Whisper of Luck

每年5月1日，既是勞動節，也是法國最溫柔的節日之一，鈴蘭花節（La Fête du Muguet）。

這一天，人們會向親友送出一束潔白的鈴蘭，傳遞祝福，也象徵著未來一年的幸運與美好。

這項習俗據說來自1560年5月1日，年輕的查理九世收到了一枝鈴蘭作為禮物。他非常喜歡這份心意，從此每年都在春天贈花給宮廷的女士。這段傳說或許無法考證，卻逐漸成為巴黎春天裡最令人期待的美麗儀式。

有趣的是，一年裡只有這一天，不需執照、不用報稅，人人都可以在街頭販售鈴蘭，成為春天的傳遞者。這大概是法國政府一年中最浪漫的一次讓步了。

In France, May 1st is not just Labor Day—it’s also La Fête du Muguet, the Day of the Lily of the Valley.
On this day, people give this delicate white flower to loved ones as a wish for happiness and good luck for the year ahead.

The tradition dates back in 1560, when the young King Charles IX received a sprig of lily of the valley. He was deeply moved by the gesture that he began offering them every spring to the ladies of the court. While this story may be difficult to verify, it has since become one of the most anticipated and beautiful rituals of Parisian spring.

To this day, May 1st is the only day in the year when anyone can sell flowers freely on the streets— without needing a permit or paying taxes—making it a special, government-approved moment of romance in France’s calendar.