The fields in the lower and central plain areas tend to be larger and with better access and have been easier to introduce the large, high and ungainly harvesting machines. On the other hand, the fields in the hillier areas to the north are often smaller, with steep slopes and often have difficult access. In these hillier areas, traditional picking by hand seems to have survived longer.

For years now, it has been my annual pleasure to participate in the traditional picking. There is a great feeling of harmony with nature as the whole of the area concentrates on the same activities for several weeks. The narrow roads are busy with tractors and trailers, 'bennes', ferrying tons of fruit to the caves, either the cooperatives or the private caves of wine producing individual farmers. We have the pleasure of remaking the acquaintance of friends whom we have not seen since the previous year's vendanges.

The early morning start is generally in quite cool weather conditions in September but the sun quickly comes up and the temperature rises rapidly. The work is hard on the back and knees as you stoop to get the lower bunches and the battle against the prickly, woody mediterranean type of weeds can be difficult in some fields. The grapes are cut in bunches, leaving the tiny under developed ones, and placed into the bucket carried by each picker. Stronger, often younger, volunteers carry the 'hotte' on their backs and pass along the rows collecting the cut fruit and transporting it to the trailer.

When the trailer is full, it sets off to the cave with a small group of fit persons who, if making red wine, will charge the cuve either with whole bunches of grapes in the case of 'maceration carbonique' or pass the bunches through a machine which removes the individual berries from the matrix, the érafleur'. If white wine is the order of the day, the freshly cut grapes will be crushed and the juice pumped to a cuve for settling.

The highlight of the day is the lunch laid on in the open air for the pickers. The whole team sits around a long table in the cooler shade of a large tree, with a chilled beer before setting into a prepared lunch with local wine. Our lunch break is typically 1 1/2 to 2 hours before getting back into the fields.