The Crafting of Coquelicot

Words by Belmond Editors
Soft sun brushes the canopy on the deck of Coquelicot as it glides along a wide, tree-lined waterway, seen from behind.

Onboard Coquelicot, each fabric, painting and handmade ornament takes you on the ultimate grand voyage – meet the French artisans who shaped Les Bateaux Belmond’s most sumptuous floating villa.

As our latest canal boat returns to the tranquil waters of the Champagne region for a new season of luxury river cruises, we meet the French artists and creative spirits that have shaped the interior design of Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat. Welcome to our new floating villa – where each fine fabric, delicate piece of tinted glass and handmade poppy-inspired ornament has been curated to take you and your guests on a slow voyage beyond compare.

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HUMBERT & POYET: INTERIOR DESIGN

Interior designers Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet, viewed from the chest up, wearing black, high-neck, long-sleeve shirts.
1 minute 30 seconds

United by their love of exquisite craftmanship and studied renovation, Emil Humbert and Christophe Poyet are the creative masterminds behind the meticulous interior design of Coquelicot, A Belmond Boat. The two architects dive into the inspiration behind the delicate palette of our intimate cabins and modern bathrooms – a striking combination of soft pink and sea green hues – and tell the secrets of the Champagne region, revealed throughout the textures, furnishings and finishes of our luxury river boat.

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AMÉLIE CHASSARY: PAINTINGS

Artist Amélie Chassary, in a dark apron, carries a painting to her workshop table, illuminated by a light-filled window.
1 minute 30 seconds

An alumnus of the Academy of Fine Arts, Amélie Chassary initiates captivating conservations through her paintings, revealing photography with a penchant for Nature Morte. For the Crafting of Coquelicot series, the French creative reveals how she captures alluring Spring landscapes with a pointillist technique, resulting in breathtaking paintings that ornate the refined interiors of our floating villa in Champagne. The perfect capture of France’s beauty, Amélie’s art accompanies guests in the private cabin of our luxury river boat as the world slowly passes by.

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MARIE DAÂGE: CROCKERY

Porcelain painter, Marie Daage, in black, sits behind a table of vintage cups by a wall displaying dishes of varying glazes.
1 minute 30 seconds

Patience is of the essence when it comes to Marie Daâge’s handmade porcelain sets. A guardian of “the haute couture de la table”, the French artisan follows a slow-made philosophy where her creations are at the centre of Coquelicot’s fine dining experience. Bringing variety around the table, Marie opens a dialogue with Valérie Radou’s culinary creations, a slow dance whose choreography is carefully executed – from the beginning to the end of the dinner onboard Les Bateaux Belmond’s luxury river cruise.

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CHEF VALÉRIE RADOU: CULINARY ARTS

Ruinart's Chef in Residence, Valerie Radou, with short blonde hair and glasses, works alongside a male chef in the kitchen.
2 minutes 0 seconds

Valérie Radou’s prestigious career in Michelin-star restaurants and palaces and her profound love for French cuisine are two key ingredients to the creative menus she serves onboard Coquelicot. Chef en Résidence for the Maison Ruinart since 2018, she excels in finding locally sourced ingredients, offering a fine dining experience beyond compare inspired by the luxury river cruise's itinerary throughout the rich Champagne region.

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ATELIERS LOIRE: STAINED GLASS

With a grey hair and beard, Bruno Loire regards a backlit wall of stained glass pieces in his Atelier Loire in Chartres.
1 minute 29 seconds

From the intimacy of Atelier Loire in Chartres, discover the stories behind Coquelicot’s sky dome. In the Crafting of Coquelicot, Bruno Loire reveals the ancient techniques of stained glass that his family has been transmitting from one generation to the other. From the hand-drawn curves to the delicate glass cutting and colour texturisation, Atelier Loire builds the bridge between the ancient and the modern, bringing the ancient art of verrerie to our modern times. The result? A prodigious skylight through which the glowing Summer sun illuminates Coquelicot’s interiors throughout the luxury river cruise in France.

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ATELIER DE LA TORRE: PAINTINGS

Patricia de la Torre stands at a table in her atelier where she creates the textured floral shapes that adorn the boat walls.
1 minute 30 seconds

Born in Buenos Aires, Patricia de la Torre was raised in an Argentinian family of artists, navigating a life between restored hand paintings, architecture and unique curios. After exploring Brazil and the French Antilles, the interior decorator opened her studio in Paris where she’s been collaborating with like-minded skilled artisans for more than thirty years. Today, she opens the doors of Atelier de la Torre to reveal the secrets of the textured flower shapes that ornate the walls of our luxury river boat in Champagne.

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