I'd like to go to France this year to work as a grape picker but don't really know how into. I've been lurking pole-emploi, found few ads but they are looking for an experienced worker and I've never worked as a vendangeur. Does anyone of you have some protips?
>>1122576
WWOOF
>>1122576
Try to look into anefa.org too. This year's page is not online yet, but you can still send them an e-mail or call them all the same.
http://anefa.org/actualites/vendanges-2015
Contact the employers or the coop directly. What matter is that you're fit enough to do the work. They'll show you all you'll need to know in less than 5mn (there's even kids helping their parents around in some places, or kids doing a "green class" day. It's not that complicated). You'll learn how to cut the grapes properly, carry them into the tractor's trailer, then later put them in the press. It's very convivial and fun.
If you're not European,
"Citizens of Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Bahamas, Barbados, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Macedonia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Seychelles, Taiwan, Uruguay and the Vatican City, as well as British Nationals (Overseas), of any age who wish to work in France for up to 90 days can do so without a visa or work permit."
>>1122667
Thanks! I will contact them, that is what I was looking for. Would you recommend me some specific region of france?
>>1122857
I would be biased. Try to go to the region of one of the wines you appreciated the most. It can be more difficult to get hired in the most known domains. If they don't take you, ask them for their contact's vacancies (yep, networking).
The Champagne-Ardenne is nice too. It's easier to go to if you don't own a car, I'd have looked around Epernay as it's a major place. In each place, you can get a price on the production. You'll probably never get champagne as cheap ever again. It's not as flat as near Bordeaux, and the temperature is nice. They recruit the most there.
The region near Bordeaux can be interesting. It's better if you own a car if you go there, since the regional trains are slow and you'd get to do "la route des vins" of the most known wines. The area is isolated in the west, but if you're close to the sea and you could definitely go surfing of go with the others in a campfire by the beach. You could try more inland near St Emillion too.
The Centre and the Bourgogne are increasing their production of old and unusual grape varieties lately. The wine type is changing and the quality is increasing each year. I'd go between Dijon and Beaune in Burgundy, or near Sancerre (you can visit the Châteaux de la loire too).
The Alsace region starts a bit later compared to others. I'd probably go near Molsheim. Try their Eiswein if you can, or get some wine from "vieilles vignes". Theirs is particularly good.
I don't know the others regions, so I'd rather not mislead you.
>>1122857
There's also the Languedoc-Roussillon region, which produces the most of the whole country.
The wines don't have the same international reputations but since the last century they've gained more and more fame, quality and AOC, and the region is very nice, a lot of varied landscapes and excellent climate. It's a southern Europe feel tho, not the "stereotypes" wineyards in Champagne one might think of at first when mentionning France. But there are quite a lot of foreigners working there each year.
I don't actually know much about wine but I know the region well in terms of geography and interesting things to see/do
>>1122999
>>1123001
>>1123025
OK! So, I don't really know anything about wines. In Poland it's not so popular to drink a glass of wine after a meal, also I'm an abstinent so my knowledge about wines oscillates around 0 [spoiler]‰ hon hon hon[/spoiler]. I will go to France by a bus probably or a cheap flight to paris and from paris I'd take a tgv to region of my destination.
I've noticed that in some regions they are starting to pick grapes earlier than in the others, and I will be able to go there at the earliest in august so I will probably look for offers that comes from south and west.
I had heard a lot good opinions about Bordeaux and probably will visit it anyway.
Thanks for all the informations, they are really useful for me, hope someone will respond to my CV because I don't want to go there without being 100% sure that I have a job.
Do I need to speak french? I'm almost on a communicative level right now but I need more practice with it, that's one of the reasons why I want to go there
>>1123155
There are people who don't speak French at all who do it. Poles are known as hard workers anyway, and they're good company. You'll be fine.
>>1123155
There is a lot of Poles working at vendenger, so you wille not be alone . Plus , your country have a good reputation for that job, so you wil find easily a job, im pretty sure.
I'm from Bordeaux, it's a beautiful city, and you can surf, it's very cool ! ( but you will be broken after your working day, so i dont now if you will have the time)
