Some 15,000 Spaniards are expected to head to France to work on the grape harvest in August and September.
They include day labourers and university graduates.
The phenomenon is not new, but after falling in popularity, the trend is again on the up, egged on by Spain’s prolonged bout of economic woe.
In 1972, the workers numbered 96,000. By 1992 this had tailed off to 10,000 which coincided with a period of strong economic growth. Labour unions in Spain believe that the number this year will be in the region of 15,000.
The unions also predict that some 20% of the first-time grape pickers will be under the age of 30 and have earned a university degree.
Some, however, are regulars who return annually and often try to extend their work in France to other crops, such as olive and asparagus.
The typical picker is male, aged between 30 and 45, and already experienced in agricultural work. Unsurprisingly, Andalusia, one of Spain’s poorest regions, provides the largest number of workers, forming up to 75% of the grape pickers.
The work begins at the end of August and carries on for about a month, although some areas of France harvest grapes until the end of October.
The minimum wage this year is €9.67 an hour for a 35-hour week. In Spain, the minimum is €6.50 per hour. The working hours typically last from 4.45am to 12.15, but most Spaniards involved in the harvest try to work overtime in order to bump up their wages.
The unions believe that many will be able to earn up to €2,000 as a result.
