GRAPE PICKING: CHAMPAGNE

Sep 17, 20084

GRAPE PICKING: CHAMPAGNE

Tags: Champagne, France, grape-picking, Wine

by Karim Attia.

CHAMPAGNE, Reims (88 miles due east of Paris).

Some time in the 90s I went to France. During this time I did a little grape-picking in the Beaujolais region (near Lyon). In talking to my fellow pickers, I learnt that the Champagne region is, apparently, the best for pickers. The reasons being that the pay is better than anywhere else and the vines are a decent height – unlike those of Beaujolais, which are back-breakingly low.

Never made it up there myself but…

The chateaux in Champagne are scattered along the Marne River from Chateau-Thierry to Epernay then branches north into the Montagne de Reims, and south into the Cotes des Blancs.

REIMS:

Piper Heidsieck. 51, bvd Henri Vasnier, 51100 Reims.
Tel: 03 26 84 43 00

Pommery & Greno. 5, Place du General Gouraud, 51100 Reims.
Tel: 03 26 61 62 63

Ruinart. 4, Rue des Cayeres, 51053 Reims.
Tel: 03 26 77 51 51

Thienot. 14, Rue des Moissons, 51100 Reims.
Tel: 03 26 77 50 10

AY-CHAMPAGNE:

Bollinger S.A. 18, bvd du Marechal de Lattre de Tassigny, 51160 Ay-Champagne.
Tel: 03 26 54 85 59

Phillipponnat. 13, rue du Pont, 51160 Mareuil-sur-Ay.
Tel: 03 26 52 60 43

EPERNAY:

Moet & Chandon. 20, ave de Champagne, 51200 Epernay.
Tel: 03 26 51 20 00

MAREUIL-LE-PORT:

Comte de Lantage. 20, rue de la Chapelle, Cerseuil, 51700 Mareuil-le-Port.
Tel: 03 26 51 11 41

MERFY:

Chartogne-Taillet. 37-39, Grande Rue, 51220 Merfy.
Tel: 03 26 03 10 17

TOURS-SUR-MARNE:

Laurent-Perrier. Ave de Champagne, 51150 Tours-sur-Marne.
Tel: 03 26 58 91 22

BAR-SUR-SEINE:

Veuve A. Devaux. Domaine de Villeneuve, 10110 Bar-sur-Seine.
Tel: 03 25 38 30 65

LES RICEYS:

Alexandre Bonnet. 10340 Les Riceys.
Tel: 03 25 78 30 07

URVILLE:

Drappier. Grande Rue, 10200 Urville.
Tel: 03 26 05 13 01

4 Comments, Comment or Ping

Kierean Reid

I am looking for some sort of contact to get a grape picking job in France during the summer. I dont really know if your just supposed to travel out and look for a job or if you can pre-plan one. Anyway if you have any ideas get back to us

Jan 17th, 2009
Karim Attia

Hi Kieran, the above article lists a lot of telephone numbers – would be worth trying a few, or looking for other vineyards online. You can just turn up (what I did) as, like most agricultural/seasonal jobs, they’ll take anyone willing on a first come first served basis. Good luck and have a great time!

Jan 28th, 2009
MARIUS

Hi, Karim. Thanks for contacts and encouragement to do grape picker career . I am looking the grape picker job for this summer in France like Kieran. I want to know, when is the best time to deal with vineyard owner for job? When does the grape picking season begin?

Feb 23rd, 2009
Karim Attia

Hi Marius, I’m afraid I don’ remember when I went over. However, it was definitely very sunny – suspect August/September time! In any case, exactly when is best to approach a vineyard will depend on when the vine is ripe/approaching harvest. This will depend upon where it is in France, what the local weather has been like that year, and how that species of vine ripens. In other words, you’re probably best just finding somewhere you like, and plan on hanging around for a bit, or else telephone in advance. Have fun!

Feb 24th, 2009

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