The Empire Bee

Napoleon I, Napoleon Bonaparte, has become a worldwide cultural icon who symbolises military genius and political power. The golden bee became the symbol of this iconic French Emperor.

There are several theories of how this came about. One interesting theory is when he overthrew the French government and took up residence in the Royal Palace at Tuileries he refused to spend money on new decor. However, he could not allow the curtains - with their embroidered fleur-de-lis (the French Royal emblem) - to continue to hang in the windows of the palace. His solution was to have the rich and elegant velvet drapes turned upside down. The inverted symbol of the overthrown monarchy looked like a bee.

Symbol of immortality and resurrection, the bee was chosen so as to link the new dynasty to the very origins of France. Bees have been featured in royal coats of arms in France since the Merovingian era. They were considered as the oldest emblem of the sovereigns of France.

Violets

The French have been using violets for centuries to flavor everything from cough syrup to bonbons. During the middle ages, when sugar was still very rare and reserved only for the elite of society, apothecaries were the principal creators of sweet treats that were supposedly recommended for health problems. It was at this time that the druggists concocted violet syrup which was believed to smooth the voice.

Violets were Napoleon's favorite flower and in the 19th century a thriving violet agriculture began to take hold in France, notably in the area around Toulouse. The flowers were used for their perfume, but they also were used in French cuisine.

Every February in Toulouse, the violet festival honours this famous fragrant fleur with showcases
of the best bouquets as well as a violet market and
violet-based sweet treats.