Toulouse Violet Festival

The lily, symbolizing purity, mercy and light, has long been considered the flower of kings in France Lavender is associated with love, happiness and longevity This plant is called the soul of Provence Lavender has been grown in this region for almost a thousand years The fertile nature of France has created comfortable conditions for the growth of lilies of the valley, rosemary, clematis, dahlias and pelargonium in gardens and greenhouses Toulouse, the capital of the Midi-Pyrenees region, is known as the city of troubadours and violets This flower, a living embodiment of tenderness and sophistication, has been grown here since the end of the 19th century The violet appears on the city coat of arms, shop signs and cafes And although Africa is considered the birthplace of the plant, a hundred years ago France was the main supplier of this plant to Russia and European countries Paying tribute to historical traditions, the Violet Festival is held in Toulouse every year in early February The first celebration, which lasts 2 days, took place in 2003 The Toulouse Violet Festival was initiated by representatives of the food and cosmological industries who use violets in the production of sweets, liqueurs, perfumes and skin care products In France, this flower represents the sadness of deceived virgins It is believed that violets have strong feminine energy, so they can break up a couple A man feels unwanted around his beloved, who has this flower growing at home, which leads to a break in the relationship But most often, violet is associated with purity, tenderness and kindness, love and sincerity In honor of the holiday, botanists and florists from around the world come to Toulouse They participate in the violet competition, the main event of the festival, where flowers are judged on beauty, variety, freshness of appearance and skill in bouquet design After this, everyone attends lectures where breeders talk about how to breed and care for the plant, known since the times of Ancient Greece and Rome under the name Víola For two days, city fairs sell perfumes, liqueurs, cosmetics, jams, muffins, candies and other sweets made from violets Tourists, walking along the streets of Toulouse, visit flower greenhouses and greenhouses, participate in master classes and taste various delicacies The pride of local confectioners is considered to be candied violet flowers: its petals are coated with beaten egg white, sprinkled with powdered sugar and dried naturally The delicacy is consumed as a dessert or, according to the old tradition, thrown into a glass of champagne The flower gives the drink a bright color and an unusual aroma More than 700 species of violets are known They are used both in cosmetology and in medicine to produce diuretics, antipyretics and anti-inflammatory drugs In honor of the festival, they create arches and figures from flowers and decorate houses and cars with them You can admire the beauty of this amazing plant and meet the variety of varieties in Toulouse by visiting the city in early February