The lily of the valley, with its small white bells, shields away from the cold as it patiently awaits May 1. Just like every year, stressed horticulturists race against time to ensure that the little stems that spark joy arrive on time, and in full bloom. The tradition of buying them on International Workers' Day remains deeply rooted in France, even if it is losing some ground.

True to the calendar, the French interprofessional horticulture, floristry and landscaping association (Valhor) has just published the results of an annual survey, conducted by the polling institute Kantar, on a sample of 7,000 households. It reveals that 1.3 million households purchased lily of the valley in 2024, compared to 2.3 million five years earlier. The total amount spent on the flowers, estimated at €19.4 million, has decreased by a less significant proportion, and for a clear reason: The wave of inflation, which has swept over all types of consumer goods, has not spared the lily of the valley.

"In five years, the price of a pot sold from our operation has risen from €3.4 to €4.40, meaning an increase of nearly 30%. But this year, it has stabilized," explained Timothée de Valbray, whose father, the head of the Valbray Nursery located in France's Mediterranean south, launched the production of potted lily of the valley flowers in 1978. He now sells nearly 600,000 plants and prides himself on being the flower's leading European producer.

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