Sales Conditions

REGISTRATION

The registration to one of our trips implies that you accept our association and our terms and conditions and special conditions of sale. The annual subscription is free. Any registration form shall be filled in in duplicate and signed by the participant and shall be sent with a deposit of 30% of the total amount of the trip and all the insurance policies chosen. The receipt of the deposit commits the booking only subject to availability. The balance shall be paid 60 days before the date of departure. In case of registration less than 60 days before the departure, the total amount shall be paid from the booking request.

PRICE

The participant confirms that he has read the information concerning the trips he has chosen, thanks to the specification sheets that have been provided to him. We mention on our specification sheets what is and what is not included. Transport, drinks, airport taxes, the additional charge for a ski bag and the personal equipment are generally never included in the price, except on written note. Any amendment of the exchange rates, of the hauliers or of the other service providers can lead to the adjustment of the prices published. The prices are established on the first October of each year and are based on the rates of exchange. Please note moreover that the late registration to our trips (less than 45 days before the departure) can lead to air additional costs. The corresponding additional cost will be given to the participants and will appear on the invoice ; its payment will serve as agreement.

INFORMATION AFTER REGISTRATION

We will acknowledge receipt of your registration by return of mail in which we will give you all the useful and necessary information.

LIABILITY

We shall not be liable for events external to our services, especially in case of :
– Loss, theft or invalidity of identity documents.
-Unforeseeable and insurmountable incidents and events of a third party stranger to ourservices (strike, technical or administrative incidents, airspace congestion, bad weather, delays, breakdowns, loss or theft of luggage)
– Cancellation laid down if a force majeure case occurs. The undergone delay(s) in relation to the cases mentioned above, as well as lthe route changes which would possibly ensue from them shall not lead to compensation, especially owing to the change of the duration of the trip initially planned or the delay of an air stop.

Given the sporting nature of our trips we shall not be liable and indebted for any compensation in case of inadequate level of the participant(s), of change of dates, schedule and planned routes, especially if those changes come from unforeseeable events or from pressing circumstances which imply the travellers’ safety. Each participant shall respect the advice and instructions given by the guide ; we shall not be liable for incidents, accidents or physical injuries which could be due to a careless personal initiative. During the trip the guide is the only judge able to change the programme initially planned, depending on the weather conditions, the mountains, the participants’ energy and the technical knowledge. You will then be offered a different route or another massif, the extra costs being borne by the participant.

RISK

Given the sporting nature of our trips each participant shall be aware of the risks he can run, especially due to the distance from health centres and more particularly to altitude. Some of our trips plan a fast ascent into the mountains and we shall not be liable for the risks linked to it. Each participant shall accept those risks with full knowledge of the facts and commits himself not to unjustly causing Cie des guides de st Gervais / Les Contamines organisation, the guides or the various service providers to bear the responsibility of the accidents which could happen.

CHANGES DURING THE TRIP

If the dates of your return trip are changed because of an air disturbance, we shall be liable on no account and we will ask you to pay the extra costs incurred. If we could not provide a part of the commitments made, we would do our utmost to replace them by equivalent services. If the circumstances forced us to do so, we could be led to replace one means of transport by another, one hotel by another, to take a different route or cancel some trips, without those exceptional changes leading to any compensation ; the buyer shall not be able to refuse them without reasonable grounds..

CANCELLATION – CHANGES

From you
Any cancellation from you before the departure shall be sent to us by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. In case of withdrawal more than 90 days before the departure, the amount deposited will totally be reimbursed, except a deduction of a 65-euro lump sum (sixty-five euro) per person, plus the insurance cost. From 90 days before the departure your withdrawal will lead to the following deductions:
If you cancel between 90 and 61 days before the departure, you will be deducted 35 % of the price of the trip.
If you cancel between 60 and 31 days before the departure, you will be deducted 50 % of the price of the trip.
If you cancel between 30 and 14 days before the departure, you will be deducted 75 % of the price of the trip.
If you cancel less than 14 days before the departure, you will be deducted the total price of the trip.

For some trips which require to buy plane tickets which are nonrefundable or exchangeable the price of that ticket will be owed even if you cancel more than 90 days before the departure. Deposits for meals, accomodation are not reimbursed, (except if you find somebody to replace you). Any intentional interruption from you shall not lead to any compensation, just like in case of an exclusion decided by the guide for inadequate level or failure to respect the safety instructions. If you cannot attend the trip, you will be able to ask another person to replace you if that person fulfils the same conditions and if we have not already booked the trip on your behalf. You will be required to inform us between 7 and 15 days before the departure by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt. The trip cancellations, whenever the date is, do not exempt you to pay the total amounts you are owed ; only then any repayment procedure by the insurance company will be started. Your absence at the appointment shall not lead to any repayment.

From us
If we had to cancel a trip for reasons beyond our control, we would then offer various alternatives at the current rates or the total repayment of the amounts deposited. On the other hand, if we had to cancel one of our trips which are subject to a minimum number of participants, you would be informed 30 days at the latest before the departure. Particular case for the groups for a climb of one or two days if there are not enough participants, you will be informed 7 days at the latest before the departure. Any allowance for compensation will be paid on no account; we shall not be liable for the travel and accommodation expenses incurred.

CHANGE OF DATE

Any registration change instruction (change of date or activity) shall compulsorily be confirmed in writing. The amount for the costs to change the date comes to 30 € per person (nonrefundable). The registration change instruction will be accepted subject to availability.

INSURANCE

We shall not replace your public liability insurance “private liability”. It is essential to have a public liability insurance “repatriation help service”. We offer you the contract EUROP ASSISTANCE. You will be given on request and before your registration a copy of the terms and conditions of the coverages. Price of the insurance policies:
Cancellation + Repatriation help service + trip interruption: 17€ per day
Cancellation + luggage: 12€ per day
Repatriation : 5€ per day
SiIf you do not want to take out our repatriation coverage, you will be asked to give us the coverages and contact details of your insurance company. The amount of the insurance policy is never refundable. Having repatriation help service coverage is compulsory to attend our trips.

AIR TRANSPORT

Unless otherwise specified on the notification, the passengers are invited to the airport reception 2 hours and a half before the takeoff for the charter flights and 2 hours before the takeoff for the scheduled flights. The maximum hour for checking varies depending on the airlines but it is given on the flight plan or the notification and will then have to be respected. Compagnie des guides de Saint Gervais / Les Contamines Organisation shall not be liable and shall not pay for any cost if a passenger sees himself refused the checking for coming beyond the maximum hour for checking. The passenger will be considered as absent and will not be able to ask for repayment of the ticket. Each airline has its own policy concerning unauthorized items in the luggage, the traveller will have to read the conditions of the contract oftransport.

LUGGAGE

Carry-on or cabin luggage: each airline has its own policy. Only one cabin luggage is generally authorized per passenger, whose perimeter shall not exceed 115 cm and whose weight shall not exceed 5 kg. That luggage is the traveller’s responsibility. The maximum authorized weight for the checked luggage varies depending on the airlines (15 to 20 kg per person depending on the trips). The remainder is used to carry the group equipment. The number of luggage shall not exceed 1 unit per participant. Only the airline is liable for the luggage you entrust it during the transport. In case of loss, delay or deterioration of your luggage, you shall take the necessary steps only to the airline. Your luggage is often carried by basic means (4×4 roof rack, mules, pulka…). In case of damaging, Compagnie des guides de Saint Gervais/ Les Contamines Organisation shall not examine any complaint in that regard.

PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

Unless you indicate otherwise (parents for minor trainees), the pictures or videos taken during the courses could be used as part of the marketing of Compagnie des guides de Saint Gervais / Les Contamines Organisation (catalogue, website, posters, newsletters…) or in a press medium, without any compensation being asked to Compagnie des guides de Saint Gervais / Les Contamines Organisation.

DISPUTE

Any complaint concerning the trip shall be sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt within 15 days after the return date and the Bonneville commercial court will have sole jurisdiction.