Extra information

The barge crew are fluent in both English and French — and often speak both languages — ensuring smooth communication throughout your cruise.

We are easily able to accommodate dietary requests and preferences. It’s helpful to let us know in advance on the Cruise Information Form so that our chef can prepare suitable alternatives.

Once on board Luciole, our crew will confirm everything with you to ensure your needs are fully met.

There is very little motion experienced while cruising. The Luciole is a remarkably stable boat.

Although the Nivernais Canal includes both river and canal sections, the shallow depth of the waterway means there is no noticeable rocking. With her flat hull and gentle glide, guests are often pleasantly surprised by just how stable and smooth the journey is.

The Luciole is fully equipped with air conditioning and heating throughout. Each cabin has individually controlled units, allowing passengers to adjust the climate to their personal comfort.

We highly recommend joining the tours, as they offer a fascinating and enjoyable insight into the rich history of the Burgundy region. However, if you prefer to stay aboard the Luciole, you are of course most welcome - our crew will be delighted to look after you.

We accept payment through the secure online facility on our website. Alternatively, we can provide our bank details for a wire transfer, available in US Dollars, British Pounds (Sterling), or Euros.

Once you’ve decided which week you would like to cruise aboard the Luciole, we will send you an invoice requesting a 25% deposit of the total cruise price to confirm your booking.

1.⁠ ⁠Contact us to let us know which week you would like to cruise.

2.⁠ ⁠We will issue an invoice requesting a 25% deposit of the total cruise rate.

3.⁠ ⁠Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a receipt to confirm your booking.

4.⁠ ⁠Final payment is due 90 days before the cruise departure date.

5.⁠ ⁠Upon receiving your final payment, we will send you a receipt confirming full payment.

6.⁠ ⁠We ask all passengers to complete our Cruise Information Form. Once received, we will send your Final Cruise Documentation.

The Luciole can be booked for family and friends' charter weeks. During these weeks, we are very happy to accommodate children, and our chef is always happy to prepare meals tailored for younger guests.

We can also adapt the tours upon request to include different interests and child-friendly activities.

Our charter prices can be found on our ‘Booking’ page.

We highly recommend that you purchase travel and medical insurance for your trip at the time of paying your cruise deposit.

Please see the Luciole Booking Conditions

The cruise rate includes:

Transfer from Paris to the Barge Luciole and return to Paris at the end of your cruise. Our crew greet you with Champagne and Canapés.

All meals commencing with sunday evening dinner through to saturday morning breakfast, including all wines, open bar with a wide range of spirits.

Lunch on shore, in a classic French restaurant.

All excursions off the Barge in our air conditioned Mini Bus. All entrance fees to tours.

The use of our on board bicycles.

The cruise rate does not include:

your own journey to and from our rendezvous in Paris,

A gratuity to the Luciole crew.

The Luciole crew will do all they can to assist and enable everyone concerned to join our groups on these tours. On board the Luciole there are plenty of handrails and an extremely sturdy staircase, with banisters on each side and shallow steps down to the cabins situated on the lower deck. We are aware that for passengers with mobility difficulties there can sometimes be concerns regarding accessibility during our tours. We hope to provide reassurance here:

Auxerre - a walking tour

The first part of the tour is up via Place St Nicholas to the Cathedral of St Etienne. This is a steep walk initially but flattens out at the cathedral and remains so for the 5 - 10 minutes into the town centre, part of which is over large flat cobbles. For passengers with walking difficulties, we are able to take them up to the cathedral in our bus and can easily bring them back down the hill again by bus if required.

Chablis - visit to the winery of Brocard and then into the vineyards

The winery of Servin has easy access for visitors, since there is very little walking and it is all on the flat. Chairs are readily available for those who find standing for too long a problem. The visit to the vineyards will be adapted accordingly to suit everyone.

Noyers sur Serein - walking tour of the market town

A lovely easy walking tour on the flat around the medieval town. For those not wanting to walk too far there are cafés where we can drop passengers at the beginning of the tour and meet up with them again 30 minutes later. Its very much a do as you wist visit with free time to wander and absorb the atmosphere - sit in a café to watch the world go by or of course do both!

Vézelay - visit to the Basilica of St Mary Magdalene on the Eternal Hill

Our tour is able to drive up the Eternal Hill where there is an optional short walk to the panoramic view from the ramparts, followed by a tour of the Basilica. After the tour passengers are able to stroll and browse the delightful shops down the hill or call into one of the many cafés. Passengers with difficulties, however, can enjoy the café at the top of the hill, near the Basilica.

Bazoches - tour of the chateau, home to the Marquis of Vauban

It has to be said that this is the trickiest of our tours. Access is through the gardens and via the imposing outside stairway to the ground floor of the chateau. There is a stone spiral staircase, with hand-rail to the first floor and towards the end of the tour a staircase down, followed of course by the descent back into the gardens. Our tour guide will do all he can to enable every passenger to see as much as possible but, should anyone find the ascent to the first floor too challenging, the ground floor armoury room and the chateau courtyard are delightful places to absorb the chateau atmosphere while the group proceeds through the remaining chateau rooms.

We sincerely hope this answers your queries and should you have further concerns, do speak to our Tours Guide, when you arrive on barge Luciole.

The Luciole has an WI-FI internet facility on board. However, due to the fact that it is a mobile connection and we are often cruising through remote areas, there is occasionally a slow download response. During the majority of our tours there is also access to internet cafes.

Regarding attire, the Luciole has a relaxed ambiance: our crew do not wear a uniform and we hope everyone quickly feels at home. Casual comfortable clothes are the best to bring and in any of the seasons, be it late spring, summer or early autumn, layers of clothes are always the most useful to have with you.

For gentlemen during the day: trousers/shorts, shirt/T shirt and jumper. In the evening, occasionally, a jacket may be worn and even sometimes a tie, but we would certainly not say this is the norm, probably just a change of shirt for supper, should you wish.

For ladies during the day: trousers/shorts/skirt, blouse/T shirt and jumper with a change of top for the evening, possibly a change of trousers but not always.

For the last evening onboard, guests might wear something a little dressier, but again it is certainly not necessary.

Low-heeled comfortable shoes are the most suitable for inside the boat or on the sundeck. Comfortable and stable shoes are recommended for the tours and walking or cycling on the towpath, should you wish.

A rainproof coat is a good idea too.

We do hope this helps you with your suitcase packing!

Molton Brown toiletries are provided in each cabin, consisting of: soap, shower gel, shampoo and body lotion.

Yes, hairdryers are available - just ask when you arrive onboard

Yes, your cabin and bathroom are cleaned every day and fresh towels provided.

Smoking is strictly forbidden inside the Luciole. We request that passengers who do smoke on the deck or off board, do so with due consideration for fellow guests.

The Luciole has 220 volt electricity.

Our plug sockets are standard European fittings. So electrical equipment will require adapters if traveling from outside the EU or UK and we recommend you pick an adaptor before you leave home or when passing through the airport, as we cannot provide then onboard.

There is no luggage limit on the Luciole. However, we are always grateful when passengers pack compactly. Once unpacked, suitcases can be stored in the bow for the duration of the cruise.

Unfortunately we are not able to provide a laundry service onboard for passengers.

The Luciole has a music system in the saloon, with a good collection of CDs. Alternatively passengers are welcome to plug in their own iPods.

We havea library on board with a good selection of reading and reference books. Cards and board games are also available and if we have a charter group with children, we have lots more toys and jigsaws available on request.

With regret we are unable to accept animals on board the Luciole.

When you confirm your interest in cruising with us, we will ask you to complete our Booking Form.

We will then send you a deposit invoice, payable via your chosen method (credit card or wire transfer). Once we receive your deposit, we will send you a receipt.

Final payment is due 90 days before the departure date. We will send a final payment invoice, and once payment is received, a receipt will be issued.

If you book within 90 days of departure, full payment is required at the time of booking.

After your full payment is made and your travel plans are confirmed, we will ask you to complete our Cruise Information Form. Once completed, we will send your Final Documentation.

If you booked through an agent, they will handle all correspondence and documentation with you directly.

We make a rendezvous with our passengers in central Paris, this is explained in more detail on our Paris transfer section of the website here.

If you are a charter group we can rendezvous and drop you back to a location of your choosing, within reason. We will confirm these arrangements with you at the time of final payment.

While the French traditionally take their summer holidays in August, this does not affect our cruising weeks. Burgundy often enjoys warm, sunny weather during this time - typically hot but not overly humid - making it perfect for relaxing summer evenings on deck, or even a refreshing early evening swim in the River Yonne.

Paris tends to be quieter in August, but most larger shops and attractions remain open, offering a more relaxed atmosphere for visitors.

The French train system (SNCF) is generally very reliable. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or at train stations. Larger stations also have self-service machines where you can buy tickets using a credit card.

When boarding, don’t forget to ‘composter’ your ticket by inserting it into the platform ticket punch to validate your journey before departure.

To call the USA, dial 001 followed by the phone number.
To call the UK, dial 0044 followed by the phone number.

French phone numbers consist of 10 digits, starting with a zero.
When calling France from abroad, dial 0033, then drop the initial zero of the French number and dial the remaining 9 digits.
When calling within France, simply dial the full 10-digit number starting with the zero.

We recommend informing your bank and card providers that you will be traveling abroad. Due to increased fraud prevention measures, cards may be blocked or spending limits restricted if your provider is unaware of your travel plans. It’s also a good idea to check fees and charges with your provider, as they can vary significantly between banks.

Make sure you know your bank PIN for cash withdrawals and purchases. Most shops accept bank cards, and if not, Euros can easily be withdrawn from ATMs.