“Do you mind if I join you?” It was an older woman, the one the team addressed as “Ma mère.” As we harvested together, we talked about her grandchildren, and, this being France, her favorite things to cook. “Layer a baking dish with sliced potatoes, onions, crème fraîche, some mussels and scallops,” she said. “Put in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. I make it at Christmas. It goes well with Champagne.” We clipped together in silence for a few minutes. “Maybe you will cook it and think of me,” she said.

I never learned her name. But she gave me the best kind of souvenir.

How to Volunteer at a Wine Harvest

While opportunities for volunteering at the French vendange exist, finding them requires some persistence. Because French employment is highly regulated, many winery owners say they are reluctant to use volunteers — and those who do maintain a low profile. But vendange volunteering falls into a gray area; like Airbnb in certain cities, it’s frowned upon but not strictly illegal, or even strongly enforced — and if you do enough research, you realize it’s very common. Here are ways to set up your own vendange experience.

Be flexible.

The wine harvest takes place anywhere from mid-August to late September, with each winery deciding itsactual dates only a day or two ahead. Volunteers need to be available at a moment’s notice, which is challenging, especially if you live overseas. The harvest lasts for two to three weeks, and most volunteers work the duration. French language skills are extremely helpful, though not obligatory. (I speak fluent French, though many winery owners speak English.)

Go with a lesser-known region.

As you might imagine, wineries in premier regions like Bordeaux, Champagne and Burgundy are inundated with eager volunteers; they’re also the most highly regulated. Instead, “focus on a different type of wine,” said Rosi Hanson, author of “Recipes From the French Wine Harvest.” Regions like the Rhône Valley or the Aube produce beautiful wines without the microscope of enormous prestige. Just make sure to choose a region that harvests by hand, and not by machine, which requires significantly fewer people.

Become a regular at your local wine shop.

The easiest way to become a vendange volunteer is to know a winemaker. Sound impossible? “It’s easier than you might think,” Ms. Hanson said. “It’s quite common to ask if they have contacts.” Many local shops also host events and tastings with winemakers that “can be a good way to get a relationship going,” she said. If you strike out the first time, don’t be shy about asking for other contacts. “Winemakers are quite helpful toward each other, and happy to pass along information,” said Caroline Jones, owner of Domaine Rouge-Bleu.

Seek out small family-owned wineries.

Small wineries are used to volunteer harvesters, said Jean-Marc Espinasse, a winemaker who is establishing a vineyard in the Bandol region in southern France. The organization World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms connects volunteers with independent farmers, including winemakers, through its website, wwoof.net. Members pay a 25-euro registration fee to access a database of hosts offering room and board in exchange for help.

Pay for the experience.

If all this sounds like too much legwork, some enterprising wineries offer hands-on harvest experiences for a price. For example, Veuve Doussot in the Aube region (champagneveuvedoussot.com/actualite.html) has a vendange package that includes a morning of grape picking, followed by a tour of the cuverie, lunch with the team of vendangeurs, and a Champagne tasting for €40. Not interested in farm labor? A bicycle tour of a wine region is another way to experience the harvest atmosphere. Tour companies like Hidden France and Burgundy Bike Tour offer packages of varying lengths in areas like Champagne, Bordeaux and Burgundy.