Andre Collonge, Viticulturalist, Beaujolais

[Donald]

With a couple of exceptions, such as this, what I've been posting up so far from my recent trip to France are things that that are a bit different for me; e.g. things with people in them.

Andre Collonge, along with his wife Simone are two wonderful people who just happen to own the gite (cottage) where we stayed in Beaujolais. As well as inviting us over to join them one evening, Andre enthusiastically agreed to me joining him to take photos if he was out working in the fields.

June is the month for spraying the vines against mildew and doing the top clipping. The speed at which Andre worked with the shears was phenomenal. As he was clipping one, his eyes were on the next and the next, ones to be clipped.

Andre is a man of the land with very little need for modern things and ways, such as holidays/vacations. When we were with him and Simone and asked if they took holidays, Andre just puffed and dismissed the notion as nonsense, to which Simone raised her eyes and sighed.



40D, 70-200mm f/4L IS USM @ 155mm. ISO100. 1/125@f8

[ilovelucydog]

Great image, Donald. His face clearly has that 'farmer' look to it. What a treat to be able to walk along with him.

We had some good friends in Washington state that were strawberry farmers. I began picking berries for them when I was 11, I think. Way back then if the berries came in early, they would let us get out of school in May (instead of June) to help the local farmers get their produce in. Both Mr. and Mrs. had that same look to their face. It is hard work to be a farmer or one that has working land. And the dedication it takes is.... well, dedication.

[Donald]

Thanks, Mary.

He was going at such a speed that if I tried to keep up with him, I'd have been running. I just stood at the end of each row and and watched him come and go.

This is Andre and Simone in the tasting room of their house/winery (it's all in one). We had a couple of lovely afernoons in here with them.

[Katy Noelle]

France is such a different place from Vermont (and, even, CA, where I grew up) that the photos you've been sharing have a wonderfully 'exotic' flavor to them. Hm! Now, I have a hankering to watch "A Good Year!" Off I go... I'm enjoying your photos tremendously!