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Fête du Travail 1st May

The Fête du Travail always falls on 1st May and is a bank holiday in France, like in many countries around the world. This was first celebrated in France in the late 18th century. In America, the equivalent is Labor Day and this was first celebrated on Tuesday 5th Septembre 1882 by 10 000 workers.

The Fête du Travail as it is celebrated nowadays originated in the late 19th century where in France, the US and other countries around the world, the workers protested for a limit of 8 hours to the working day. Workers in France marched with a red triangle as a button-hole which was later replaced by a wild rose.

In 1907, in Paris, the lily of the valley (muguet) replaced the wild rose bringing back an ancient tradition from the Renaissance period where lilies of the valley were offered ‘le muguet de mai’. These are now worn as a buttonhole with a red ribbon. It is tradition to offer ‘un brin de muguet’, a symbol of spring in France.

On 23rd April 1919, the Senate ratified the working day of 8 hours and designated the 1st May as a bank holiday.

March 31st, 2024
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Summer Camp 2024 – activity programmes out now!

Embark on a journey of language discovery and adventure at Alpine French School’s Junior Summer Camp! Designed for children aged 5 and up, our camp offers a unique blend of interactive French lessons in the morning and thrilling outdoor activities in the afternoon. Let’s delve into the benefits of our…

March 8th, 2024
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Fund your language course using a government training budget (CPF or other finance options available)

Alpine French School’s parent company, Gallico LCE, offers students the possibility to fund their language course with us using a government training budget. In France, everyone is entitled to have access to professional training to develop their professional skills. When you work in France, you or your employer pay contributions…