Barge Luciole Review.
REVIEWER
Meme Moy from USA.
CRUISE LINE
Luciole.
SHIP
DESTINATION
France, Nivernais Canal
# OF NIGHTS,
6.
DEPARTURE PORT
Auxerre, France.
DATE OF CRUISE
Aug, 2022.
OVERALL EXPERIENCE RATING
5 out of 5 stars (5=excellent, 4=very good, 3=good, 2=poor, 1=terrible)
-Food Rating: 5
-Cabin Rating: 4
-Service/Crew Rating: 5
-Itinerary Rating: 4
Barge Luciole travels along the Nivernais canal. * Photo: Meme moy
BARGE LUCIOLE REVIEW
Travelling by Firefly – my Barge Luciole Review
Full disclosure — I have never travelled by barge before. So when I was invited as part of a dear friend’s 50th birthday celebration to go on a 6-day barge cruise in France I was excited — it sounded like a trip to remember. That being said, I will admit mixed in with the excitement was some measure of uncertainty mostly around the fact that a smaller “boat” might equal a somewhat lesser experience. I don’t think I’ve ever been as happy to be this wrong.
The Luciole (French for firefly) calls itself a hotel barge and by all accounts it’s an apt description, the setting, level of service and in-room amenities is very much like a very cozy and charming hotel. The Luciole has been entertaining passengers since 1976 and it shows — the staff of 6 operate like a well-oiled friendly machine; from getting your suitcase into your room, to offering a tall glass of chilled wine upon embarking to all the thought that goes into the wine and cheese selection.
All this would not be possible without Penny Liley the charming owner of the barge who is a friendly and very knowledgeable presence throughout the trip. From the get-go she told us where the best view was on the canal in the port of Auxerre (stunning photos taken from the nearby bridge).
With 8 cabins, an expansive dining room and a sun deck there was plenty of room to take in views, read a book while drinking your cappuccino, or catch up with close friends.
What I didn’t realize was that the beauty of a barge trip like this one is that you aren’t really “stuck” on the boat like you would on a massive ship — and this, while simple, blew my mind. The ability to take short walks, tour the nearby towns, or bike to the next “lock” gave me the luxury of having a home base that moved with me while still enjoying the freedom of exploration.
The gorgeous Vézelay Abbey in Vézelay, France. * Photo: Meme Moy
The cruise route took us from Auxerre along the Nivernais canal which follows the course of the Yonne River and ended in the town of Clamecy. The canal towpath had a great walking/biking path with smooth flat surfaces throughout the trip. The Luciole came with enough bikes for all the passengers and had both traditional bikes and ebikes as well. The staff was great at telling us whether it was a good time to get off and watching out for us at different stops.
The food — I was so wrong to cast doubt on the food. It was magic what came out from their small kitchen. In hindsight it makes sense, with a small kitchen on the barge there is no room for huge refrigerators, so everything is fresh from nearby markets and the freshness shines. The croissant delivered in the mornings from the bakery, the huge tomahawk steak we had over lunch, the multitudes of diverse salads, the lamb chop appetizer one night, the desserts of tarts and cakes. The chef delivered thoughtful cuisine day after day.
One of the lunches on Barge Luciole. * Photo: Meme Moy
As someone who is gluten-free, the Luciole was able to accommodate my dietary restriction with flying colors. I was honestly dreading disclosing that I was gluten-free at first but they truly understand what I needed and that I may be gluten-free, but I still enjoy good food. I didn’t feel like I had any “after-thought” meals.
As someone who never even thought of a barge cruise in the past, I feel like I backed into a bucket list vacation by default. The Luciole, its staff and most especially Penny made it feel both special, personal, and definitely something I would want to do again.
Dinner onboard the barge Luciole. * Photo: Meme Moy
NUMBER OF SMALL-SHIP CRUISES TAKEN UNDER 300 PAX
1
RELATED: A review of the barge Luciole — a wonderful private charter experience. By Heidi Sarna.
RELATED: The birthday girl Geo reviews her Luciole barge cruise.
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HEIDI SARNA
