Wine harvest in Vernou(Vendange 2009 à Vernou)
The wine harvest in France happens in October. Fall. L’automne. I present some images here from two weeks ago when we had a day of harvesting grapes/vendange in the biological vineyards of friends, where picking is still done by hand. A family/friends day, where all family and friends started the Saturday off early morning with coffee and croissants, picking with vigour, enjoying a big lunch, restarting with heavy limbs, but still enough energy to engage in grape fights, and ending the day sticky, dead tired, but content and with fun memories. Until next autumn.
…early morning start…
…fit as a fiddle…
…empty the buckets…
…into the remorque…
…piling up…
…picking some more…
…soon to be…
…wine…
…afternoon picking…
…taking a break…
..going home…
An entry for Sundaystills.
Coin perdu, a mountain home 
Positively SUMPTUOUS!!!
October 25, 2009 at 2:24 am
Thank you for that tour. Looks like backbreaking work.
October 25, 2009 at 3:00 am
So cooool! My first time around a grape vineyard! 😀 Thanks Ronelle. 🙂
October 25, 2009 at 5:12 am
looks/sounds like a nice day, lovely photos ronelle
& i’m with nivin; my first time too 😉
October 25, 2009 at 5:43 am
ah i love vinyards, there are some amazing ones in new zealand that i drove my parents around (designated driver, unfortunately). did you get to taste any? what was is like?
my favourite photos are number one and three 🙂
October 25, 2009 at 10:42 am
Great stuff. Makes my thirsty just looking at some of the pictures, especially nr. 8.
October 25, 2009 at 11:26 am
Wow, great photos! My mom always tells stories of harvesting grapes in Germany…looks like fun!
October 25, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Your pictures are stunning. And the vineyard is just amazing, thanks for the lovely tour. We have several vineyards here in E.Tennessee, I need to check them out. :):)
October 25, 2009 at 3:51 pm
Wow! I had no idea families still did this together. I assumed that it was automated with equipment or with hired hands. Just beautiful! And drinking wine with the picking of grapes. Awesome!
Do they also still crush the grapes with their feet, too? Your photos were a wonderful window into such a beautiful and unique lifestyle. Thank you!
~Lisa
New Mexico, USA
October 25, 2009 at 5:21 pm
All that wine talk is making me thirsty! Very interesting shots here… and your post is educational as well. Take care.
October 25, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Oooh such a lovely post–fall foliage and food oriented! The hill country where I live in Texas has many vineyards, but there’s something beautiful about seeing them in France! Thanks for taking us along with you!
October 25, 2009 at 10:30 pm
Wow, what a lovely way to spend the day! I enjoyed the wine tour! I was wondering, too, if they still stomp the grapes with feet! Hahaha, one episode I saw in I Love Lucy!
Cheers to France’s wine!
October 26, 2009 at 2:03 am
Thanks for all the visits and supporting comments – as for cryshing the grapes with the feet…no, fortunnately(or unfortunately?) that part is doing by fancy machines!
And yes, we did drink wine during the day and with lunch, nog from the day’s harvest of course! The Careme vineyards has beautiful bio wins!
Ronelle
October 26, 2009 at 7:49 am
The best wine in the world comes from France. We in NEw Zealand are growing lots of wine too. Have you tried NZ wine?
Thanks for visiting.
October 26, 2009 at 9:53 am
Simply awesome! Thanks for sharing.
October 26, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I really love your last pic–the colors at the end of the day.
October 29, 2009 at 6:01 am
What wonderful photos – I envy you!
November 2, 2009 at 6:15 pm