As the saying goes “It could be you!” – The sun on your back, the breeze in your hair, getting fit and earning a nice sum while enjoying time off! Fruit picking abroad is not always the back breaking work you might think it is – and anyway, we could all do with getting a bit fitter couldn’t we?
If you fancy using your annual leave in a new and creative way, then you could do worse than to hit the vineyards of France to learn more of the language, make new friends and earn some extra cash. You don’t need a residency permit for the work so there’s not a lot of red tape to negotiate. The country needs a hundred thousand pickers every single year during harvest time – even if it’s only for about one month of the year. You’ll be provided with all your food during the working day, but you may need to think about putting yourself up at a nearby campsite, as not many French employers provide accommodation.
That said, it could be part of your holiday experience to camp in the fields of France and relax by their onsite facilities during free time! The amount of remuneration you can expect for this work is not high. You’re not coming home loaded. The work might even pay below the national minimum wage, but if you’re open minded and out for a fun experience that may not matter to you.
It’s a job that has survived automation. Many vineyards still prefer to employ people rather than machines. They believe the wine that results from such picking will be all the better for that “human touch”.