A unique barge experience
The Saroche Barge Company was created as the booking company for Saroche.
It is a registered UK Limited company and is subject to the laws of Britain.
The Saroche Barge Company has no trading liabilities and serves only to hold monies of clients until they are drawn upon after the cruise by the French operating company which runs Saroche. In this way we ensure the security of payments made by clients for their cruises.
Both The Saroche Barge Company and the French operating company are 100% owned by Kevin Tickell.
There is one word that sums up the Crew of Saroche, passion.
Passion drives Kevin and Jody to create an experience that make Saroche one of those experiences that you will never forget.
Kevin was raised on the west coast of Wales; his family ran a hotel on the harbours edge of a small fishing village. Boats and the sea were an everyday part of his young life. He owned his first boat, an eight foot dingy at the age of eleven and sailed singlehanded by the age of twelve. In his mid teens his family moved to the south of England and brought a house on the River Thames. With the river at the end of the garden a love for inland cruising developed. By twenty one he had renovated a twenty four foot wooden river cruiser and his next project was a thirty six foot 1930's wooden coastal cruiser cruising the complete length of the Thames and southern coast of England. His next acquisition was a sixty five foot motor fishing vessel in which he cruised the coastal waters of France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey before cruising back to England though the canals of France.
In his mid thirties Kevin became disillusioned with his career in the building industry in the UK and he decided to follow his passion and find buy and renovate a Dutch barge into a hotel barge and live in France
He has successfully run Saroche for fifteen years and lived in Burgundy and now lives in the Camargue in the south of France.
Jody.
Jody was born in Auckland, New Zealand and decided whilst still at school that she wanted to be a chef. She believed this was a profession which allowed her to indulge in her love of food and cooking and allow her to travel and find work around the world.
Her first job was at Sail's restaurant one of Auckland favourite where she worked in the kitchen training in classical French cuisine as well as attend college to obtain her professional qualifications. From Sails she progreseds to the new 5 star hotel The Regent where her skills where soon recognised and she was promoted from the hotel kitchen to their flag ship restaurant. When her parents moved to Australia she moved with them. She found work in the huge kitchens of the Gold Coast Casino and then head chef in a popular Italian restaurant in Surfers Paradise. Her travel bug took her to Europe where she worked in London and Dublin and it was whilst in London she answered an advert for chef on Saroche in France. Jody's passion for French cuisine drew her to France and she has remained here ever since.
Jody joined the crew of Saroche in 1998 and married Kevin in 2005.
Saroche's other two crew members the hostess and deck hand are usually recruited and trained at the start of each season. The selection of these crew members are of great importance to Kevin as he believes the interaction between the guests and the crew is an essential part of the enjoyment of the cruise.