The confined May 1 will ultimately have brought little luck to the florists: they were authorized to sell lily of the valley on Friday only for delivery or withdrawal of orders on their doorstep. Epidemic requires.
And this despite a relentless forcing to try to obtain from the government an authorization for direct sale in front of their stores of precious white bells, which bring them some 7 million euros in turnover each year.
Thursday, the day before May 1, the French Federation of Florist Craftsmen believed it: in the afternoon it published a press release indicating that it had obtained "from the Prime Minister" the authorization to sell the traditional lucky strand before the flower shops, closed to the public since March 17 like most other shops deemed "not essential to the life of the country".
Before being disowned in the evening by the government which published a strict reminder of the rule: are only allowed for florists deliveries and withdrawals of orders on their doorstep.