Grape harvest in Aigle – one of a thousand adventures in Vaud

I am on my way to Aigle to visit the small town of Vaud during its most beautiful season. When the leaves slowly turn colourful, autumn is here and with it the time of the grape harvest. Coming by train from Lausanne, I already cross one of the great cultural treasures in the canton of Vaud – Lavaux with its steep, terraced vineyards overlooking Lake Geneva. Aigle itself is located south of Lake Geneva in the Chablais region, at the entrance to the Rhône Valley and is surrounded by vineyards.

When I arrive, I can just see the last rays of sunlight illuminating the Dents du Midi. The welcome couldn’t be more beautiful. To get in the mood for wine, we head to the Badouxthèque (Route de Lausanne 28, Yvorne / Badoux vins), which was founded by Henri Badoux. Among other things, the well-known Aigle les Murailles is produced here. Despite dark healing, there is still a lot of activity. The winegrowers are constantly bringing their harvested grapes from the surrounding vineyards, which are immediately processed into liquid gold. I am impressed by the huge steel tanks that I get to see on the short tour. Afterwards, we can drink our way through the white, red and sweet wine assortment while enjoying a hearty Papet Vaudois – the traditional Vaudois dish par excellence. The Vaudois know how to enjoy in style – chapeau!

Fortunately, it is not far from the Badouxthèque to my hotel room in the centrally located and newly renovated Hotel du Nord.

The next morning the sun is shining. Not a single cloud can be seen in the sky. True imperial weather, perfect for a day’s work in the vineyards. Today I have to lend a hand myself. Interested small groups can support the winemaker Alain Emery during the grape harvest. Today, the harvest of Pinot Noir is on his daily agenda. Although Aigle mainly grows Chasselas, the Emery winery is known for its red wines.

By car we drive on narrow roads high up into the vineyards. We manage the last meters of altitude on foot. I get a sharp-looking pair of scissors pressed into my hand and get to work. You quickly notice how much manual work goes into the production of a bottle of wine during the grape harvest. The grapes are cut one by one, cleaned and collected in boxes. The full crates are carried to the tractor by the porters. Countless helpers from the region and abroad support the winegrowers during the grape harvest.

At ten o’clock there is a short break. We enjoy the great view with tea and cheese. This makes working really fun. Some helpers treat themselves to a first glass of wine at ten o’clock. I’m a bit surprised, but then I’m informed that the wine enjoyment begins when a two-digit number on the clock is reached (i.e. from 10:00 a.m.). They’re rascals.

For us, it will soon be time to call it a day. Finally, we would like to taste Alain Emery’s wine in liquid form. Before the tasting, we are allowed to watch how the Pinot Noir we have read (a tiny fraction of it) is processed. Afterwards we taste the Chasselas in the cozy wine cellar – first in the form of grapes, then as fresh grape juice (harvested and processed the day before) and finally the wine from the previous year. Personally, I’m a big fan of the incredibly refreshing grape juice. In front of his house (Avenue du Cloître 22 / Cave Emery), located in the idyllic medieval district of Aigle, you can buy fresh grapes and grape juice directly from the farm.

To delve even deeper into the world of wine, we make our way on foot through the pretty alleys of the old town center to the newly renovated Aigle Castle. To the left and right, the gardens are lined with vines. The Château de Aigle is romantically nestled in the vineyards on the edge of the old town. In the castle itself is the Museum of Viticulture, Wine and Wine Labels. The exhibition is designed to be interactive and offers exciting insights into the world of viticulture.

But since Vaud has much more to offer than wine and good food, we take the train to Leysin in the evening. The winter sports area can be reached from Aigle in just 25 minutes. However, we are not here for the snow, but we were raved about the phenomenal view over Lake Geneva. Of course, we want to see that for ourselves. Just in time for sunset we reach Prafandaz, above Leysin. And as if we had ordered it, the sky showed up in more and more fantastic shades of red. Even Lake Geneva seems to glow. As if that wasn’t perfect enough, there’s also a sip of rosé wine and sausage. A sensational atmosphere that perfectly rounds off a successful day in the vineyards. And that’s just the beginning, because there are still many adventures waiting to be discovered by me in Vaud.

Note: I was invited to this trip by the Region du Lac Léman – thank you very much for this. As always, my readers can be sure that I always represent my views and enthusiasm here. By the way, if you are now also in the mood for the adventure of grape harvesting, you can register via the Aigle tourist office.