Luciole Blog

30th June – 6th July 2024

The Luciole welcomed aboard passengers, both new faces and familiar faces. There were passengers who have cruised before and a delightful couple from Los Angeles who were as keen cyclists as they were at conducting witty conversation.

John Liley was also onboard. Decades have passed so quickly, it is hard to believe it was 1976, when John began the company. He was delighted to meet by chance on the quay, old friends from the 1980s who used to run the Port in Auxerre. So much has changed and yet everything has stayed the same. It was wonderful to see John, Paul land Dominique, sharing Chablis and laughing at the memories of yesteryear.

Meanwhile, the River Yonne still runs, and at times a lot faster than one would want. Tours were plentiful, hats off to our fabulous tour guide, Vincent. Chef Nicolas cooked another memorable lunch at Penny’s house at Fontenille in the hills. Twelve people sitting round a big kitchen table, with sumptuous food and wine aplenty. Memorable.

The local ‘Belgium Hare (rabbit) of the commune’ did not put in an appearance until early evening when the gardens was quiet again. The French are rather partial to keeping large rabbits, but thankfully for this bunny and a couple of chums, the owner forgot one night to close the cage doors, so they made a daring escape from captivity (and destiny of the cooking pot) to live a life of freedom, trimming the dandelions and spreading goodwill and smiles around the village as they meander from garden to garden. There is even the whisper that babies might be due, which really will put our village on the map.