Before champagne bubbles out of the bottle for a special occasion, a grape harvest is required.

Champagne is considered a sparkling luxury and a symbol of the French way of life – but serious cases of exploitation of harvest workers are now causing a stir. Following the degrading use of dozens of African harvest workers during the 2023 Champagne harvest, a trial begins Thursday at the regional court in Châlons-en-Champagne. The case involves human trafficking and the promotion and use of illegal labor. French media are calling it the "vineyard of shame."

According to media reports, the situation that police encountered in the village of Nesle-le-Repons in September 2023, alerted by local residents, was shocking: Nearly 60 harvest workers, most of them from Mali, Senegal, or Mauritania, most of whom lacked residence papers or work permits, were crammed into filthy buildings. Many had to sleep on the floor, and there was little food or drink for the men, who toiled for eleven hours in the heat. "We had to work like animals," the newspaper "Le Parisien" quoted one of the workers, Mamadou, as saying. The promised daily wage of €80 was reportedly not paid to the helpers.

Attorney Maxime Cessieux, who represents many of the men, speaks of slavery. Among the 57 affected harvest workers who are appearing as joint plaintiffs in court, nine are women. One of the workers was still a minor at the time, another was already 64 years old, as reported by the broadcaster France 3. The public prosecutor's office later referred to "living and accommodation conditions that seriously endanger the safety, health, and dignity of the residents."

A placement agency for agricultural workers, its managing director, two recruiters, and a wine-growing company must now answer to the regional court. Trade unions and social organizations complain that these are not isolated cases. Similar abuses involving the deployment of 125 foreign harvest workers were uncovered in 2018. A court in Reims imposed prison sentences and fines on those responsible in 2022.

The French League for Human Rights (LDH) stated that agricultural businesses remain lawless zones, and that farmers would prefer an end to all social and environmental standards. The government is abandoning foreign workers, with or without residence permits.

"The harvest workers who have become victims of human trafficking must regain their rights. They will not give in, but will stand tall and demand justice." A bus provided by the CGT union will transport the workers from the greater Paris area to the trial in Champagne.

Champagne may only be grown in certain areas of France. The approximately 34,000 hectares of vineyards are located in the Champagne region northeast of Paris. Grape processing is strictly regulated. For example, they may only be harvested by hand. Over 100,000 seasonal workers and harvesters are deployed in the region during the grape harvest.