Extra information

The majority of our barge crew are English and also speak French. Our pilot however, is from Chile and speaks Spanish, as well as English and French.

We are easily able to accommodate dietary requests. It is always useful to know in advance, so our chef can prepare suitable alternatives. Once on board the Luciole, the crew will double check to ensure all is covered.

There is very little motion that you would experience while cruising. The Luciole is a very stable boat. Although the Nivernais Canal combines river and canal sections, since the waterway is not deep there really is no rocking, she gently glides through the water and a flat hull means people are suprised by her very good stability.

The barge has air conditioning and heating throughout. Cabin temperatures can be individually controlled by our passengers.

We recommend you participate in the tours, since they provide such an enjoyable insight into this historical region of Burgundy. Should you, however, prefer to stay on barge Luciole, you are of course most welcome and our crew will look after you.

We are able to take direct payment through our website's secure on-line facility. Alternatively we will provide you with our bank details to enable a wire transfer in either US Dollar, Sterling or Euro currency.

When you have decided which week you would like to cruise on the Luciole, we will send you an invoice, requesting a deposit payment of 25% of the total fare.

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

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

3. On receiving your payment we will send a receipt to confirm your booking.

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

5. On receiving this payment 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 able to cook meals for the young ones.

We can also change and adapt the tours if requested to include different interests and children based activities o.

Our charter rates are 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.

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 Canapes.

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 includes:

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 Servin 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

Anna 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. Anna 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 Anna, 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 the boat and tours while a rainproof 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, body lotion and a useful travel kit.

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.

Are plug sockets are standard European fittings. So electrical equipment will require adaptors if travelling 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 and if your suitcases are bulky we can store them for you until the end of the cruise.

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 get in touch we will send our cruise information. On receipt of full payment, we will send your final documentation. If you have booked through an agent, they will handle all correspondence with you.

We make a rendezvous with our passengers in central Paris at the Hotel Mansart.

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

The French do take their summer holidays in August, however this does not affect our operation. Burgundy can be hot but not too humid, a time to enjoy those warm summer evenings on deck or maybe an early evening swim in the River Yonne. Paris can be quiet in August but most larger shops remain open.

The French train system SFR is generally very reliable. Tickets for journeys can be bought in advance over the internet or at the stations. There are also machines at the larger stations that enable ticket purchase using credit cards. When catching a train, don't forget to 'composte' your ticket by inserting into the platform ticket punch, to confirm your travel departure.

When making a call within France, you will call America by first dialling the international number of 001, for calling England dial 0044, and French numbers 0033, then drop the next zero and dial the remaining numbers

We suggest you inform your bank and card providers that you will be away from the county. Suspicion of fraud and the blocking of cards or restricting amount is increasing. It is also worth checking charges with your provider, since they can vary considerably between different organisations.

Knowing your bank PIN number to make cash withdrawls or any purchases is essential. Most shops accept bank cards and if not, Euros can be withdrawn from ATM machines.

It is also worth checking charges with your provider. They can vary considerably between different organisations.