FRANCE: May the 1st

On May the first people go for a walk in the countryside. Then they have barbecue which is organised by associations or unions. This bank holiday has a political and historical meaning too. Demonstrations first started in 1890. Unions wanted people to work eight hours a day except on Sunday. Some demonstrations ended in violence and people were jailed. At last on April 27th 1947 May the first was declared a bank holiday. Now unions peacefully demonstrate in big cities such as Paris