3rd - 9th May
From the far corners of the world, our passengers gathered at Hôtel Madison, and it very quickly became apparent that New Zealanders, Canadians and Americans have much in common – namely a wonderful sense of humour and great warmth of character.
We had a group of six travelling together, but within just a few days it was impossible to tell who had arrived with whom. Such a joy to witness.
Luciole cruised out of Clamecy towards Châtel-Censoir when, at one point, there was a heavy thud and the engine suddenly cut out. A sizeable chunk of wood had become wedged beneath the rudder, bringing the boat to a halt. Thankfully, Captain Charlie and matelot Farouk make a formidable team and, after some determined prodding with the boat hook and a few strategic revs of the engine, we were soon on our way again.
Tuesday, following the visit to the magnificent Basilica of Vézelay with Vincent, there was a stop off at Penny’s home for rosé and a stroll around the garden. The magenta-coloured Pyramid Orchids are now flowering in the wild un-cut garden grass, alongside a Man Orchid and a Lizard Orchid. Next month, the Bee Orchids will be opening their delicate blooms as well.
Thursday was Chablis day, complete with the delightful walk through the pine forest on Grand Cru Hill. It also provided the perfect opportunity to identify even more birdsong using the wonderfully clever Merlin Bird ID app, much appreciated by Shep and Judy. It truly is a “must-have” for anyone enchanted by our feathered friends.
During our wine tasting at Château Bichot, we all found ourselves admiring the many varieties of roses in the garden. The beautiful “Cinderella” rose was undoubtedly the favourite amongst the group – glorious colour, exquisite scent and repeat flowering too. It has certainly found a place on my wish list.
Minna led her wonderfully informative wine tour and tasting, and the glass orbs intended for future wine production were a particular fascination for the group. It will certainly be rather novel to watch the wine mature before one’s eyes.
On Friday afternoon, Luciole cruised into Auxerre, bathed in golden light. I had noticed that passenger David had quite the penchant for decorative shirts, so I recommended a visit to a shirt shop near the clock tower, where a few weeks earlier Bob had purchased one of the most flamboyant wonderful shirts I have ever seen.
It seems that Smart Place is rapidly becoming the destination for the well-dressed gentlemen of Luciole! When I popped in the following day to speak with Guillaume, I discovered that even more purchases had been made by passengers staying on in Auxerre for the weekend. I do believe we could not claim the medal for the best-dressed barge passengers in town – hurrah!
Hotel barge Luciole
Cruising since 1976
Phone: 00 44 1625 576880
From USA: 011 44 1625 576880
WhatsApp: 00 33 6 09 92 20 76
Email: info@bargeluciole.com
23 Adlington Road, Bollington
SK10 5JT England
1-2 Quai de la Republique, Auxerre
89000 France
© Hotel Barge Luciole 2026
