Jean Vigreux is a professor of contemporary history at the University of Bourgogne-Europe. He is the coauthor of One Hundred Years of History of the French Communist Party: The Red Party and his most recent book is The Popular Front.

05.01.2026

• Jean Vigreux

May 1: Day of Work or Workers’ Day?

In France, May Day has long been a day for all workers to stop working. A recent proposal for some businesses to remain open forced unions to defend the idea that French workers keep May Day as a day to themselves.