May 1 rhymes with public holidays, parades and lily of the valley! The tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages wants the flower with the white and fragrant bells to be offered to loved ones to bring them luck and happiness.
A more expensive lily of the valley this year
Every year in France, 70 million strands are sold for an official market of more than 20 million euros. But that’s not counting the sale of wild lily of the valley estimated at 80 million euros! And this year lily of the valley will cost more, explains Gérard on France Bleu Provence.
“There is much less lily of the valley in production compared to other years. A third less production”, according to the Cours Lafayette market florist in Toulon. He assesses the rise in price “between 20 and 30%. But we try not to pass it on so that people don’t deprive themselves”.
Lily of the valley in the Var and Bouches-du-Rhône
In France if 85% of the lily of the valley sold is produced in the Nantes region, the Var remains the largest national producer of potted lily of the valley with one million pots sold on May 1. There are also producers in the Bouches-du-Rhône, notably in Gardanne, Pennes-Mirabeau and in the agricultural plain of Berre where Stéphanie Rétaux has been living with her husband for 13 years.
Both are producers of strawberries, raspberries, courgettes, potatoes, radishes, onions, tomatoes, melons, eggplants, seasonal flowers, especially lily of the valley for two years. 3,400 plants sold directly on site, in pot, in sprig with a rose or in composition on demand. And this year the lily of the valley is of exceptional quality according to Stéphanie Rétaux.
From the label to the on-site sale, France Bleu Provence has verified the production of lily of the valley in this exploitation of Berre.
The sale of framed lily of the valley for non-professionals
Alongside professionals, the sale of lily of the valley is authorized on May 1 with conditions to be respected. The flower sold should not be purchased, only wild lily of the valley picked or collected from the family garden. Only in sprig, neither root nor pot, no wrapping, no other flower like a rose should accompany lily of the valley. Moreover the sale must be done without table or bench no advertising and at least 100 meters from a florist. In theory, the fine incurred in the event of an infringement can range from 300 to 3,750 euros.