Les vendanges
Vendanges is the term used in France to identify the grape-picking season. Nearly every region in France produces wine, ranging from small local personal holdings to some of the world’s most acclaimed labels. In French, les vendanges is an activity that gets the entire community involved, particularly in areas where it is still carried out entirely by hand. Some harvests have introduced some machinery, but it still requires a reasonable-sized workforce. Harvesting is physically demanding, back- breaking and often done in challenging weather. Despite this, it is hugely rewarding. Every year, thousands of people across France volunteer to participate in the wine harvest, often in return for a meal and a place to sleep rather than a wage. Depending on the size of the vignoble (the vineyard), it can take up to two weeks to handpick all the grapes. I still vividly remember the happy days spent grape picking at my father's smallholding. The day was punctuated by sociable pauses ...