The 12 guests and six crew collectively held our breath as Pierre, our skipper, edged the huge barge into the current. Despite his many years’ experience, we all knew this was a tricky manoeuvre. The well-behaved canal we had been trundling along was being traversed by a faster flowing river, which would have been enough of a challenge without the narrow lock awaiting us on the other side. It would be an extremely snug fit, so our boat had to enter it perfectly straight, but the current had other ideas about that...
Minutes later we all expelled a huge sigh of relief. With inches to spare, we had cruised into the lock without a single bump. In fact, smooth was the word that summed up the whole week, from the impeccable navigation to the seamless service from our friendly crew. It was as if they could read our minds. No sooner had you thought ‘I fancy a cup of tea’ than one appeared. Sometimes it even felt as if they were a miniscule step ahead of you, as a gin and tonic, ice clinking and condensation dripping in the intense heat, materialised like a mirage.
Even a large barge like the Luciole can feel a little intimate when there are 18 people on board, especially when you’ve never met them before. But within hours of making acquaintance with our fellow guests in a Paris hotel before our transfer to Burgundy, it was as if we’d been friends for ever. If we’d felt at all reticent about sharing our week with holidaying Americans – we were the only Brits aboard this particular cruise – we shouldn’t have worried. They were all fascinating companions who kept us enthralled with tales of their travel through France, Europe and beyond – and when it came to sense of humour we just seemed to click.
Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av France.
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Denne historien er fra October 2020-utgaven av France.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Paindemic In Paris
For American actor and writer Alexander Burnett, a shortage of bread at his local boulangerie was one of the biggest challenges of lockdown in his adopted home city
VEULES-LES-ROSES
Between the white cliffs of the Côte d’Albâtre and the bucolic landscapes of the Pays de Caux, discover a village that combines coast and country,
Taking the BISCUIT
France is known for its exquisite pâtisserie and extravagant gâteaux but the not-so-humble biscuit deserves recognition too
PICTURE PERFECT PISTE
After a decade away from the slopes Janet Brice finds her ski legs in val d'arly, a hidden gem in the shadow of Mount Blanc
Let there BE LIGHT
Lyon’s annual Fête des Lumières brightens up the darkest of December nights in spectacular fashion, finds David Atkinson on a winter visit to the Rhône capital
Shop ‘til YOU DROP
In the first of our new Insight guides, Helen Parkinson delights in the French shopping experience
Floating YOUR BOAT
Spending a day on the River Seine in Paris, Heidi Fuller-love samples some of the city’s top entertainment that can be enjoyed afloat
Creamy Dijon Chicken With Bacon And Spinach
Enjoy this hearty dish from Bisous & Brioche, a cookbook shot on location in Burgundy
A Moveable Feast
Philip Sweeney embarks on a voyage gourmand along the Vallée de la Gastronomie travelling from Dijon to Marseille
BOND RETOUR 7
To celebrate the return of everyone’s favourite globe-trotting British intelligence officer in No Time to Die, Helen Parkinson rounds up five of James Bond’s top cross-Channel escapades