The French have a saying: "To know how to eat is to know how to live.”

A lot of people who are fortunate enough to visit France spend much of their time visiting the legendary restaurants and cafes of Paris. Unbeknownst to many, however, tourists have long been able to visit world-famous French cuisine closer to the source – via agritourism.

We've talked about agritourism here in the U.S.A. In case you missed some of those posts, its about folks spending their vacation on the farm, learning about and participating in the workings of an agricultural operation. It's a fairly new concept here at home, but the French have been doing it since 1987. The organization is called Confédération Paysanne, which translates as "Rural Confederation." This is essentially a group that promotes French agriculture and sustainable farming practices.

Most people don't realize it, but although Paris gets almost all of the press, most of France – Europe's oldest "official" nation-state – is still primarily rural, and much of the French economy is agriculturally-based. (This may explain why historically, the French have raised cooking and eating to the level of high art.) That beautiful and extensive countryside, and all the farms, vineyards, wineries and other production sites for great food and drink, are available for touring. Through the Confederation, vacationers can spend their time on a farm in the French countryside, learning, exploring, participating – and enjoying farm-fresh native cuisine courtesy of their hosts.

Confédération Paysanne is part of a larger network that you may or may not have heard of, known as Via Campesina. The latter is a global coalition that dates from the early 1990s with the goal of promoting agrarian reform, sustainable agriculture and something known as "food sovereignty.” Participants in both the Confédération Paysanne and Via Campesina must agree to adhere to certain principles, which include sustainable farming practices and conservation.

Not all of us are lucky enough to get to France, of course. I have managed to make the trip on occasion and have enjoyed the French wine country, though – like the other tourists – at the time I wasn’t aware of the agritourism programs that are available. But the good news is that you don't have to go to France in order to enjoy this kind of experience. Although not quite as organized in the U.S. as it is in some other countries, this kind of agritourism is definitely catching on – often with the same kind of organization and principles as can be found in the French agritourism industry.

One great example is the Full Belly Farm, which is located in the Capay Valley in California, about halfway between Woodland and Napa. Certified by California Certified Organic Farmers, the Full Belly Farm is a model of the principles Via Campesina stands for. Because the farm produces over 80 varieties of fruits and vegetables, it operates throughout the year, employing around fifty workers at any given time. You can visit the farm's website here for more information.

In coming months I’ll continue coverage of innovative agritourism businesses like Full Belly Farm, and talk more about how this type of operation can make a great addition to the American farm business model.