31st May - 6th June
Celebrating a birthday is a wonderful excuse for a cruise! Joanna's joyful charter group settled aboard the Luciole like fish to water. The days were filled with relaxing on deck, glass in hand, strolling the towpath, and biking near and far – Chablis included.
Tuesday evening at Restaurant Angélina provided the perfect setting for a birthday celebration. Joanna looked marvellous – and that was not solely due to the tiara!
There was much laughter throughout the week. The low bridge at Mailly-la-Ville provided one particularly memorable moment. Thankfully, the iPhone attached to the table and recording the cruise remained upright and was not swept away as we passed beneath. From the Captain's line of sight, both the phone and the wheelhouse appeared to clear the bridge by the narrowest of margins – just!For our intrepid group, exploration was on the agenda every day. We never knew at which canal bridge or lock we might spot them next, enthusiastically waving to those aboard. They proved that a barge cruise is anything but sedentary, embracing every opportunity for adventure along the way.
Whilst the adventurers were off exploring, the Luciole acquired an unexpected extra passenger. A mighty fierce one too, who was not shy about displaying his claws. Instead, he raised them in a fiery show of defiance that made one think twice before attempting a rescue. Eventually, he was carefully removed from the hot steel side deck and placed into a container before being safely released back into the water.
A birthday week to remember, and quite possibly the loudest Friday evening aboard on record! We strolled down to the weir to toss flowers into the water and make wishes. It was a fitting finale to a week filled with fun, laughter and celebration. We wish Joanna many happy returns and everyone lasting memories of a very special cruise.
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


