Every June, the Terroir Field School offers a unique four-week program in collaboration with ESA-Angers for UVic students.
Taught in English, this hands-on course examines how small- & medium-sized producers of place-based foods and wines achieve and maintain economic, ecological and cultural resiliency. We set the stage in Paris for three days before moving west to Angers where students are billeted with local families for an immersive French experience. From our base in Angers we travel through the Loire Valley, Brittany and Normandy - tasting and learning with producers, processors and others how ‘terroir’ contributes to sustainable agricultural and food systems.
Terroir Field School 2025: May 28 - June 26 (Course name: ES371 3.0 units)
ES majors, minors and RNS students are eligible for ~70% reimbursement of course fees.
Eat and drink sustainablity in France for month while living with a French family.
The Dual Degree program is an undergraduate-graduate degree offered in partnership with École Supérieure des Agricultures (ESA) in Angers, France. This is a “3+2” Dual Degree (BA/BSc –MSc) program in which a UVic undergraduate student can complete three years at UVic and then continue their studies at ESA.
The compressed timeline of the “3+2” model may be attractive to students wishing to expedite their path to a profession in ecogastronomy and the worlds of wine or food. However, this compressed timeline may not suite all students and is not a requirement for entry to one of ESA’s two Masters programs.
Masters programs at ESA-Angers
Master in Vine, Wine and Terroir Management
The International Vintage Master seeks to provide students with a comprehensive overview of the wine industry, from soil to consumer. The objective is to help students acquire scientific, cultural and economic knowledge, as well as the technical and strategic skills of grape growing, wine production and marketing on an international scale. The programme particularly focuses on the concept of terroir, providing students with the expertise to characterise, protect and promote wine diversity. Elements of the program are delivered in Angers and at partner institutions in Italy and Portugal.
Students also undertake a thesis project at an international location of their choice.
The Master of Food Identity is a multidisciplinary programme that trains future experts in the agri-food sector. It promotes an international vision of culture, regulation, and market analysis, and teaches competencies in food processing, sensory analysis, quality control, marketing strategy and entrepreneurship. The program takes place in four countries (France, Italy, Romania and Greece) and combines theory with practical experiences gained through apprenticeships, visits to production sites and retailers. Throughout the program, students work on case studies in collaboration with producers and professionals. This path provides the essential knowledge and tools for students to successfully support the development of local and traditional food products within the global market context.
I and my students use quantitative analyses of food and wine production systems to reveal linkages between ecological and social sustainability, “quality”, and the primacy of place … “Ecogastronomy”
Dr. John Volpe
School of Environmental Studies University of Victoria V8W 2Y2 JPV Office - Turpin B156 EcoSoil Lab - Turpin B159 Sensory Lab - Turpin B161
