28th September - 4th October 2025
The leaves are turning in our corner of Burgundy - golden hues signalling that summer has passed and autumn is upon us. It’s the time of year when morning mists along the valleys lift with the warmth of the sun - to reveal clear blue skies and another glorious day.
A group of eight friends from the USA and the UK reunited to cruise with us, and they warmly welcomed our other four passengers as “one of their own.” Such a joy to see! On Tuesday, Vincent dropped us at the restaurant in Saint-Bris-les-Vineux and we waved him goodbye as he drove off into the setting sun. We then took time to enjoy the wonderful panorama from the veranda, looking out over the vineyards of Sauvignon Blanc vines.
In Noyers-sur-Serein, the market town nestled in the oxbow of the river, Yazmhil and Brice’s leather shop prove irresistible to passers by - and for some, it led to a treasured purchase!
It was the same at Andy and Claire’s delightful pottery, a hidden gem in a courtyard garden. How lucky we feel to have such lovely Luciole friends to visit.
Our tour to Christopher in Vézelay was as wonderful as ever, hearing him speak about the Basilica. As we set off to walk up the Eternal Hill, we bumped into Gaspard, the partner of Rita - our host who is with us for a couple of weeks while Sarah, our regular host, is on holiday. We carried his message home: “I am missing you.”
Coming down the hill, Vézelay’s friendly donkey and his owner looked sadly into the closed ice cream shop. I heard the man apologizing to his loyal four-legged friend that there would be no cone this time. Who was sadder? It was hard to tell.
Captain’s Dinner came around all too soon. The crew were deeply touched at the end of the meal by our passengers’ kind words - both spoken and written - and illustrated as beautifully as the group themselves. Our sincere and heartfelt thanks to you all.
Hotel barge Luciole
Cruising since 1976
Phone: 00 44 1625 576880
From USA: 011 44 1625 576880
Email: info@bargeluciole.com
23 Adlington Road, Bollington
SK10 5JT England
1-2 Quai de la Republique, Auxerre
89000 France
© Hotel Barge Luciole 2025
