| In the Languedoc region (south of France), it is | | | | market to car boot sale, parade, house clearout |
| now the grape harvest season. Tractors usually | | | | sales, etc. The event recreates past tradition and |
| drive along vineyard paths, but it is not that rare | | | | skills that still live on. The original fest was to |
| to see people picking the grapes. It is an old | | | | honour and thank God for the blessed harvest. |
| tradition, which still endures today in regions | | | | Every year since, people gather and celebrate the |
| where the machines cannot drive through. Every | | | | end of the harvest season. A great dinner is |
| morning during a few weeks, gatherers pace the | | | | offered to labourers, who originally sang in sign of |
| vineyard up and down equipped with clippers and | | | | triumph. |
| buckets. Some are in charge of cutting, others | | | | In the towns of Minervois, Limoux and Fitou, still in |
| empty the buckets and the tractor driver carries | | | | the Aude, we also grow and harvest wine grapes |
| the grapes to the farming cooperative. The | | | | to produce the AOC wines of the same names. |
| beginning of the harvest season depends of | | | | The Minervois is a red wine, produced from |
| course on the wine grape variety but also on the | | | | Carignan (40% of the blend), Grenache, Lladoner |
| weather conditions. The Muscat for example, is | | | | Pelut, Mourvedre and Syrah grapes. Limoux wine |
| generally gathered before the others, that is to | | | | is produced under four AOC designations, which |
| say around mid-August. The grapes destined to | | | | are: Blanquette de Limoux, Blanquette |
| produce red wine, like the Syrah are generally | | | | méthode ancestrale, Crémant de |
| harvested from August 20th, as well as the | | | | Limoux and Limoux. The first three are sparkling |
| grapes for the Muscat de Frontignan. Then, at the | | | | wines and they dominate the production around |
| end of August, we usually pick the grapes for the | | | | Limoux. |
| white wine Chardonnay and in September those | | | | There are lots of small producers in the |
| for the red wine Merlot. The Viognier grapes are | | | | Languedoc region. You can visit their vineyard and |
| harvested around mid-October. | | | | taste their wines. It is definitely convivial and has a |
| If you are around in the Languedoc region, on | | | | Mediterranean atmosphere. The Perpignan wine |
| October 13 and 14 there is a traditional event. | | | | festival takes place on October 16th, 17th and |
| The "Fete des Vendanges", in the lovely village of | | | | 18th. There again, you can taste local wines and |
| Ouveillan, in the Aude (11) is a week end of | | | | celebrate with workers and visitors. |
| festivities displaying activities ranging from the flea | | | | |