May 1 is Labor Day, a time for lily of the valley and spring. It’s also a day off when everything is closed… Or almost everything! Here are a few ideas for things to do on this holiday in Paris. In 2026, May 1 falls on a Friday.
May 1, 2026—A great 3-day weekend ahead. Treat yourself to a weekend in Paris, visiting the Eiffel Tower, Montmartre, and Buttes-Chaumont—but that’s not all! Find a nice hotel to stay in Paris for a few days.
Unique tours are available by reservation. To make sure you don’t miss them, check the calendar of guided walks in Paris and the 93rd arrondissement.
Tours in Île-de-France on May 1, 2026
The Pere Lachaise Cemetery will be open on May 1. Explore this historic site at your leisure. Père Lachaise Cemetery - 8 Boulevard de Ménilmontant - 75020 Paris. Holiday hours: 9:00 AM–5:30 PM.
Metro Line 2: Philippe Auguste station. Except on May 1, you can take a guided tour through the cemetery’s winding paths.
The Air and Space Museum in Le Bourget is open on May 1 (unless it falls on a Monday, when the museum is closed). Take this opportunity to discover the secrets of aviation and the restored galleries, not to mention the exhibitions that are regularly on display. A beautiful place with a surprising permanent collection: airplanes, helicopters, spacecraft, a simulation area, the Concorde, and the Planetarium.
Strolling through one of the May 1st flea markets is a true tradition! Antiques at the flea markets, secondhand items at the yard sales, collector’s items—you’ll find all sorts of goods, from children’s clothing to bicycles and kitchenware...
If May 1 falls on a weekend, you can check out the Saint-Ouen Flea Market (open Saturday, Sunday, and Monday all year round)
Most movie theaters in Seine-Saint-Denis are open on May 1st. Check out our list of movie theaters in the 93, near Paris.
Most swimming pools in Île-de-France are closed on May 1. In northeast Paris, the Pailleron swimming pool and ice rink in the 19th arrondissement and the Georges Vallerey swimming pool at Paris Porte des Lilas in the 20th arrondissement are open.
May 1st is the perfect opportunity to have a picnic and take a walk in one of the parks of Seine-Saint-Denis.
Parc de la Villette is open every day. The Cité des Sciences, Little Villette (for children), Philharmonie de Paris, and the Museum of Music are open Tuesday through Sunday (closed on Mondays).
If the weather is nice, you can picnic in this large park divided by the Ourcq Canal, play soccer or Frisbee, or simply soak up the sun. Where to go? Either near the buried bicycle or the Argonaute submarine, next to the Zénith de Paris, or near the children’s playground.
On May 1st, just like every other day, the Jardin du Dragon de la Villette, the free children’s playgrounds, and the rides (for a fee) are accessible right next to the waffle, chichis, and crepe stands...
May 1 in France is a day to celebrate labor and advocate for workers’ rights, but it’s also a day for relaxation and sharing... a sprig of lily of the valley.
International origins: May 1st has its origins in the United States in 1886. At that time, American unions were demanding an 8-hour workday. A general strike was launched on May 1, followed by demonstrations that lasted several days and were violently suppressed. In tribute to these events, the Second International, meeting in Paris in 1889, decided to make May 1 an international day of action in support of the eight-hour workday.
The establishment in France: In France, the first May 1 demonstration was organized in 1890, at the call of trade unions and socialist parties.
The Legalization of May 1 in France: It was not until 1941, under the Vichy regime, that May 1 was officially designated as the “Festival of Labor and Social Harmony.” This decision aimed to rally workers to the regime. May 1 was then a non-working day, but demonstrations were banned.
May 1st after World War II: After the Liberation, May 1st retained its status as a public holiday and day off, and demonstrations resumed. In 1947, the government attempted to move it to the first Sunday in May. Faced with resistance from the unions, the government reversed its decision the following year.
May 1—a popular tradition: May 1 is also a day marked by popular traditions. One of the best known is the exchange of lily of the valley, a plant considered a good luck charm. This tradition is said to date back to the Renaissance, but it became widespread mainly in the 20th century.
