Spring is here. When I lived in San Diego, the arrival of spring meant days were now 72 degrees instead of 68; time to put away the scarfs and boots and break out the flip flops. Here in Colorado, spring means green blades of grass breaking through, blossoming trees, tulips, and then this:
That’s my backyard two days ago. We got 17 inches of snow. We went sledding, built a snowman, had a snowball fight…. Spring along the Front Range means your what-to-wear dilemmas look like this:
I’m done with the snow. I stored my snowboard mid-March, got a pedicure, and started wearing sandals. Visions of flowers and beaches and hot sun toasting my bare legs are dancing through my head.
Alas. I’ll fill my thoughts, instead, with Les Villes et Villages Fleuris de France.
This was a new discovery for me last summer. As we drove into a village in Bretagne, my husband pointed to a bright yellow sign and exclaimed, “Ah, un village fleuri !” and he went from mildly cranky/exasperated Frenchman-driving-car into happy, relaxed, joie de vivre Frenchman mode.
The Concours des villes et villages fleuris is an annual contest in France where communes are evaluated for their aesthetic beauty. When the label began in 1959, it focused mainly on the beauty of the green spaces and floral displays, but now communes are judged in three categories: “la qualité de l’accueil” (the quality of the welcome and ambiance to visitors and residents), “le respect de l’environnement” (looking at the respect shown to natural resources and preservation of green spaces, as well as events that celebrate nature), and “la preservation du lien social” (how do the green spaces and gardens promote social interaction and utilization of those spaces within the commune). In all, it is an attempt to look at the overall quality of life impact on those who live in and visit the commune.
No limits exist on the number of communes that can be awarded, so it isn’t a true competition. The label earned can be anywhere from 1 to 4 flowers, or the prestigious gold flower, given annually to 9 communes. According to Wikipedia, as of 2015, approximately 12,000 French cities, towns, and villages have received the award. Four flower status has been awarded to 226 of those.
To learn more, here is the link to the French site.
http://www.villes-et-villages-fleuris.com/accueil_1.html
And here are some of my favorite flower pictures from France:
A French American Life 
I’m not sure if Antibes, Nice, Menton and all the towns along the Cote Azur participated in this, but one thing I learnt from my time in France, they love flowers! Everywhere flowers all year round. Roundabouts, hanging baskets from lampposts, balconies, you name it, it had flowers! I used to get fresh flowers every week form the local florist or supermarket. Back in Spain, it’s hard to find fresh flowers. One little thing I miss about France. Florists!
Yes, the French do love to decorate with flowers! As far as I know, there are villages all over France that participate in the contest. Interesting that it is hard to find fresh flowers in Spain. I wonder why?
It certainly looks like spring here in Provence. We are getting some lovely sunny days and the sky is blue.
Mmmmm, that brings such a beautiful picture to mind. Enjoy!