The Lily of the Valley and the May Day celebration in French culture

The purpose of the present research is to describe the lily of the valley ( Convallaria majalis ) in nature, its use in pharmaceuticals, its danger as a toxic plant, but most of all, to reveal the cultural value of this flower throughout the history of Europe; can be traced back to the Renaissance as the May Day flower. It was an attribute of a doctor; it is believed bringing luck. Nowadays, Christian Dior made it the emblem of his fashion house and it made the perfume Diorissimo famous. It is the official floral emblem of provinces and cities of numerous European countries. In France, the sale of lily of the valley by private individuals on May 1st is officially allowed: one can sell lilies of the valley from the garden or picked in the woods.