Terms of Sale

General terms of sale - Villages Clubs du Soleil

Conditions concerning the practice of activities relating to the organisation and sale of holidays are governed by article L 211-1 and following, and article R 211-1 and following of the Code of Ethics for Tourism. The present general terms of sale apply to all our customers for all reservations made within the context of the Villages Clubs du Soleil brochure. 

HOLIDAY RESERVATION – DEPOSIT SETTLEMENT

Booking methods: Holiday bookings can be made:
By post & email: by sending us the booking form included in our  brochure or available on our website www.lesvillagesclubsdusoleil.com, duly completed and signed by you;
Via the Internet: www.lesvillagesclubsdusoleil.com : following the step-by-step instructions given on our website ;
At our offices: Silo - 35 quai Lazaret 13002 Marseille ;
By telephone: on +33 (0)825.802.805 ;
By fax (+33(0)4 91 04 87 01): by sending us the booking form included in our brochure or available on our website www.lesvillagesclubsdusoleil.com, duly completed and signed by you. Reservations made by post, Internet, email, fax or in our offices must be accompanied by payment of the deposit as stipulated hereafter.
For reservations made over the phone or by fax, you will be attributed a provisional reservation code and it will be up to you to settle the deposit in accordance with the conditions mentioned hereafter. Whatever the method of reservation, you may consult online or in our offices and prior to reservation, the full range of accommodation solutions available, administrative procedures (including vaccinations where relevant), payment terms, insurance coverage total cost of the holiday, terms of refund and the full list of services included in your holiday as appropriate.
Deposit: Reservations are only considered definite after receipt of a deposit representing 30% of the total cost of the holiday, plus registration fees and postage of the holiday confirmation document by us (once payment of the aforementioned deposit has been cleared); this document serves as an invoice. The deposit may be paid by cheque debit card [Visa and Mastercard only] or holiday vouchers. For reservations by telephone or fax, payment must be received no later than 4 days at the latest after allocation of the provisional reservation code, which must be quoted at the time of payment. Failure to pay by the deadline mentioned above will mean the provisional reservation will by rights be considered null and void. A reservation implies the customer will approve and confirm without reserve the present general terms of sale and the specific conditions previously communicated pertaining to the type of room and terms of the holiday contract.

SETTLEMENT OF THE BALANCE REMAINING
Payment of the balance remaining of the total cost of the holiday must be made no later than the 30th day before the date the holiday begins. Failure to pay in full means the reservation may be cancelled by us according to the terms and conditions intended by the terms of cancellation herebelow. The balance may be settled using the same payment methods as those offered for payment of the aforementioned deposit. Holiday vouchers are accepted with one single discount granted per contracting party and by family name. We prefer to receive holiday vouchers by registered post as a declared value with acknowledgment of receipt. Under no circumstances will Villages Clubs du Soleil be held liable in the case of loss of holiday vouchers prior to receipt by us. Payment using this method must mention the provisional reservation code (cf. detachable coupon on the holiday confirmation document), and always state the guests’ names, holiday destinations, start and end dates, even when an explanatory letter is attached. Once payment has been made, no modifications to the payment method are authorised. No discounts (for example group rates, company tariffs, etc.) will be taken into consideration after payment of the deposit, with the exception of holiday vouchers. Company discounts will apply subject to availability of stock set aside especially for this group of customers. Moreover, failure to settle the total price of the holiday in full by the above-mentioned deadline will mean no discounts (including holiday vouchers) may be applied by Villages Clubs du Soleil. A paid invoice for the full cost of your holiday can be sent to you on request.
Financial Responsibility: The person whose name appears on the invoice is recognised as sole customer of Villages Clubs du Soleil, notably in regards to financial responsibility and, in particular, in the event of full or partial cancellation of the holiday.
Tourism tax: In addition to the cost of your holiday, you will be required to settle a tourist occupancy tax; fees are fixed according to municipal by-laws, in favour of the host town where facilities are located. Villages Clubs du Soleil cannot be held responsible for any new taxes or changes in rates of this tax.

RATES
Rates are calculated on aflat fee basis and can cannot be broken down by type of service. The tourist occupancy tax rate for children is calculated according to the age of the child on the first day of the holiday. Discounts are applicable to new reservations only and cannot be applied to reservations that have already been made. Early departure or services that remain unused at your own initiative will, under no circumstances, be a valid reason for refund. Additional services resulting from a voluntary or involuntary extension of the holiday (early arrival, weather conditions, etc.) will be at the sole expense of the visitor based on tariffs in force at the time.

Villages Clubs du Soleil saves itself the possibility of revising its prices to take into consideration royalties and taxes to the services. The goal of these modifications is to pass on to the customer the difference between the amount of royalties and the taxes such as fixed in the price offer. However, the price fixed to the contract cannot be the object of a rise during thirty days before the date of departure. In the hypothesis of a possible modification of the price of the stay, every guest wishing to reserve a stay will be informed about the adjusted rates by our reservation agents as well as on our website. Every guest having already reserved his stay will be informed about the prices modifications by mail at the latest 30 days before his departure. In case of refusal of the application of the new rates, every guest can cancel his stay free of charge for a maximum deadline of 7 days after information of the new rates, by sending a letter or an email to the reservation office.
Registration fee : each reservation gives Villages Clubs du Soleil the right to charge a registration fee at the fixed flat-rate of €25 per reservation (one reservation permitted for a maximum of 5 people). The registration fee is non-refundable, except in the case of modification or cancellation of the holiday by Villages Clubs du Soleil according to terms defined hereafter.
Deposit : you will be asked to pay a security deposit of €230 per room at the start of your holiday upon arrival. This security deposit covers breakage, loss of equipment, damage and failure to leave accommodation clean. The security deposit will be returned to you at the end of the holiday, minus the cost of replacing any equipment that may have been broken or lost, of restoring the accommodation to its original state and/or cleaning costs, without prejudice for any other costs caused by you. Value of equipment at your disposal is listed on the premises. Villages Clubs du Soleil is not insured against theft and breakage of equipment.

MODIFICATION-CANCELLATION – TRANSFERABLE SALE OF A HOLIDAY
Holiday cancellation and modification departments are at your disposal on +33(0)4 91 04 87 04. Any change in name(s) after reservation will incur a fee of €20 for each name modified. Rooms are allocated according to the number of people indicated at the time of reservation. A request to modify the number of guests after the reservation has been made will lead to a change in tariff based on prices listed in the rate sheet. The difference in price as a result of your modification request must be paid to Villages Clubs du Soleil no later than 4 days following registration of said modification. Failure to pay by the above deadline implies the reservation may be  cancelled by Villages Clubs du Soleil in accordance with terms hereafter. A cancellation fee as listed below will be applied if the number of people is reduced. Furthermore, an automatic re-allocation of rooms according to number of guests and subject to availability will apply. However, if no other rooms are available and we are obliged to maintain the original allocation of rooms, 2-roomed apartments for 5, 6, 7 people at Arcs and Vars, accommodation for 6 people at Orcières, occupied by 4 people or less, a supplement of 20 % per person will be applied. The terms of cancellation herebelow also apply for cancellation of extra services (lessons for example). Holiday modifications or cancellations, full or partial withdrawal of an order (absence of one or several persons, change of holiday dates, change of destination) must be notified in writing by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt (postmarked accordingly) no later than 48 hours following the event leading to the cancellation. Can be considered the original date alone, and not the cancellation date, Villages Clubs du Soleil will therefore adhere strictly to the following terms.

HOLIDAY CANCELLATION
Cancellation by the client:
When you cancel your holiday or participation of one or more guests, with the exception of a case of force majeure, the following sum (in addition to the registration fees) will be due to Villages Clubs du Soleil where appropriate: for cancellations more than 45 days before arrival date: 5% of the total cost of your holiday. Should you wish to cancel between 45 and 30 days before your arrival date: 25% of the total cost of your holiday. Should you wish to cancel between 30 and 10 days before your arrival date: 50% of the total cost of your holiday. For cancellations 10 days or less before arrival date, as well as in the case of a no-show at the resort: 100% of the total cost of the holiday, without prejudice for the Villages Clubs du Soleil to rent the room(s) concerned to other guests. Cancellation of ski/snowsurf lessons after reservation will incur an administrative fee of €20; Holidays that are cut short or unused services by decision of guests are non-refundable. These fees arecharges to cover the unavailability of equipment for hire to other guests and as such are considered definite and calculated on a flat-rate basis. In the event of a no-show by the customer on the day of arrival, Villages Clubs du Soleil reserves the right to offer accommodation for rent to other customers.
Cancellation by Villages Clubs du Soleil:
Failure to settle the balance due by the deadline date authorises Villages Clubs du Soleil to cancel the reservation and to keep the deposit and the registration fees paid by you in the name of equipment being unavailable for other guests. You may be informed by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt at any moment after the payment deadline date and no later than 8 days before the start date of the holiday (postmarked accordingly). In accordance with the terms of articles L211-14 and R211-12 of the Code of Ethics for Tourism, Villages Clubs du Soleil undertakes to inform you as soon as possible should it become necessary to cancel the holiday. In this case, the full amount paid by you will be refunded, except in the case of force majeure.
Transferable sale of a holiday: you are authorised to sell your holiday to a third party provided they fulfil the requirements for the aforesaid holiday, and subject to having previously informed Villages Clubs du Soleil by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt no later than 7 days before the start of the holiday. We inform you that in accordance with the law, you remain, together with the transferred buyer, liable for payment of the balance of the total cost of the holiday and any extra costs due to Villages Clubs du Soleil.
Optional insurance: To help you enjoy your holiday with peace of mind, we would like to inform you that you have the possibility of taking out an optional insurance from Mondial Assistance. This insurance covers: holiday cancellation whereby, subject to  certain conditions, you may claim for a refund of cancellation fees; repatriation insurance which covers, subject to certain conditions, research, rescue and repatriation costs, termination of the holiday and accidents. Subject to certain conditions, snow insurance covers cancellation of the holiday dur to lack of or excess snow coverage, refund of certain services if you are unable to access the resort, and/or the closure of ski lifts. Cost of the insurance premium: winter €70 per reservation and summer €60 per reservation (maximum of 5 people). The insurance company will lend support to victims based solely on the regulations stipulated in the insurance policy. If you make a claim covered by the insurance policy, you must pay cancellation fees in full to Villages Clubs de Soleil in order to receive a refund from Mondial Assistance based on the paid invoice. The insurance policy cannot, at any time, be subject to  refund except in the case of cancellation of a holiday at the initiative of Villages Clubs du Soleil. We suggest you request a detailed explanatory document available either from our customer service department or via download from our website.

HOLIDAY
Rooms are allocated by Villages Clubs du Soleil subject to availability and taking into account rooms booked by individual customers and professionals respectively. Room allocation takes into consideration the composition of the family, number of beds and specific needs of certain guests (people with reduced mobility, young children), the aim being to reach optimal occupancy. Villages Clubs du Soleil is entitled to modify room allocation after reservation provided customers are given prior notice.
Children: enrolment of children in “kids” activities during the holiday is subject to prior receipt of a photocopy of the vaccination pages of the child’s health record booklet declaring the child has received vaccinations in accordance with measures enforced in France, or a medical certificate dated no later than 7 days previously, declaring the child is apt to participate in group activities. Children under the age of 13 must share a room with their parents. To ensure a quality service and in order to meet health and safety requirements, each of our children’s’ services must follow individual capacity restrictions. Children under the age of 3 months (on the first day of the holiday) are not accepted at our facilities. Failure to respect age-limit restrictions may result in the person concerned and those accompanying him/her being refused access to the resort, with no recourse to a refund or compensation of any nature. However, a dispensation may be granted if parents have signed a parental responsibility document provided by us and which must be sent at the time of reservation. We remind guests that childrenremain the full responsibility of their parents or guardians at all times, at both indoor and outdoor shared facilities (restaurants, bars, terraces, auditorium, lifts, etc.) as well as within the accommodation itself. Minors non-accompanied by an adult (reservation name) may not, under any circumstances, reside in our establishments.
Guests with reduced mobility: Under certain circumstances we are able to welcome guests with reduced mobility in a number of our establishments. However, to find out availability options and ensure you receive the best possible welcome, we would ask you to kindly inform us of your needs at the time of reservation.
Miscellaneous: Villages Clubs du Soleil reserves the right to keep facilities closed should the number of reservations during that period be insufficient. To discover the precise nature of services offered at each facility, please refer to our brochure and rate sheets. Smoking is forbidden in all rooms. Failure to comply with this rule gives Villages Clubs du Soleil the right to put a premature end to the booking, without any refund and/or compensation to the customer. Drinks purchased outside of the premises may not be consumed at the bar or restaurant. Villages Clubs du Soleil keeps a safe at reception, at your disposal free of charge, to keep jewellery, cash and valuables on the premises. We decline responsibility in the case of theft of jewellery, cash or valuables. Return of personal effects or valuables to a guest after the holiday will ony be made if a written request is sent by the guest to the appropriate establishment and in exchange for reimbursement of postage costs.
Composition of the family and notion of reservation: For over fifty years, Villages Clubs du Soleil has been committed to family holidays; rooms are specially designed for that purpose. Each reservation (maximum of 5 people) corresponds to the notion of one family in the widest possible sense (parents, partners, common-law spouse, civil unions, etc.) any discount in price is understood within this framework. Villages Clubs du Soleil reserves the right to refuse reservations contrary to these principles and/or any requests which appear fake or dishonest: inaccurate information concerning the age or identity of participants, elements of the reservation that do not take the composition of the family into consideration, etc.
Animals: For reasons of safety and hygiene, animals are not permitted in our establishments. 

PROFESSIONAL CIVIL LIABILITY – LIMITATION - EXONERATION
During their stay, guests at Villages Clubs du Soleil may avail of the operator’s civil responsibility cover for bodily or material damages for which Villages Clubs du Soleil is recognised as responsible in relation to its guests. During their stay, Villages Clubs du Soleil organises sporting and cultural activities for guests, organised by qualified instructors. Guests who take part in these activities accept to do so with full knowledge of the risks involved for each activity and agree to take all necessary precautions in relation to the activity, location, natural relief and weather conditions, other participants or specific circumstances. When guests agree to participate it implies they recognise and accept the risks involved, meaning Villages Clubs du Soleil cannot be held responsible in the case of a proven error by one of its agents. Villages Clubs du Soleil provides guests with non-supervised parking spaces. It is however understood that guests are free to drive at will and park their vehicle at their own risk, especially in regards to damage or theft of the vehicle or its contents. Villages Clubs du Soleil cannot, under any circumstances, be considered warden of customer vehicles. We cannot be held responsible for changes in services imposed by events that occur outside of Villages Clubs du Soleil premises (in the case of force majeure or accident, notably epidemics and or pandemics or by the fault of persons outside of the organisation during the holiday period). Nevertheless, Villages Clubs du Soleil promises to do its best to promptly overcome difficulties that may arise. Lastly, subject to constraints laid down by law, Villages Clubs du Soleil cannot be held responsible for any accident, injury, illness, loss of time at work and/or holiday, or damages to property caused by a third party. In the event of heavy snowfall, access to the resorts is regulated and can be forbidden to vehicles that are not suitably equipped. Villages Clubs du Soleil cannot be held responsible for any obstacle to access to the village club due to lack of equipment.

PUBLIC EQUIPMENT
Villages Clubs du Soleil is not responsible for decisions to open or close public facilities such as: ski areas, ski lifts, swimming pools, skating rinks and other sports facilities. 

ARTICLE R211-6 OF THE CODE OF ETHICS FOR TOURSIM
“Before finalising the contract in writing on headed paper, indicating the company address and administrative authorisation to practice, the sales organisation must inform the customer of prices, dates and other details concerning services available during the holiday such as: 1° Destination, means, characteristics and categories of transport used; 2° Accommodation, situation, main features and degree of comfort and tourist ranking in accordance with regulations or common standards in the host country; 3° Meals provided; 4° Description of the tour itinerary where appropriate; 5° Required administrative and health procedures, especially in the event of cross-border travel, as well as the length of time necessary to complete the requirements; 6° Visits, excursions and other services included in the package or potentially available subject to extra cost; 7° Minimum and maximum group capacity required to validate the trip or holiday, as well as the deadline for customer notification of cancellation in the case where trip is subject to a minimum number of participants; this date cannot be set less than twenty-one days before departure date; 8° The sum or percentage of the price to settle as a deposit once the contract has been finalised, as well as the balance payment schedule; 9° Details of price reviews as stipulated in the General Terms of Sale; 10° Contractual terms of cancellation; 11° Cancellation terms as defined in the General Terms of Sale; 12° Details concerning risks covered and claims limitations of the insurance policy covering the professional civil responsibility of holiday reps and the civil responsibility of associations and non-profit organizations and local tourist organizations; 13° Information concerning extra optional coverage in certain cases for cancellation or an emergency assistance policy covering specific risks, especially repatriation costs in the case of accident or illness; 14° For contracts including air travel services, information concerning each stage of the journey.” (ii) in individual contracts with customers, all relative information as defined in article R211-8 of the Code of Ethics for Tourism which states: “The contract between the vendor and the buyer must be drawn up in duplicate, with one copy for the buyer, and signed by both parties. The contract must include the following clauses: 1° Name and address of the vendor, his/her guarantor and insurance company as well as the name and address of the holiday operator; 2° Holiday destination(s) and, in the case of a split holiday, periods and dates for each; 3° Means, characteristics and category of transport used, dates, departure times and city of departure and return; 4° Accommodation, situation, main features and degree of comfort and tourist ranking in accordance with regulations or common standards in the host country; 5° Meals provided; 6° Description of the tour itinerary where appropriate; 7° Visits, excursions or other services included in the overall price of the journey or holiday; 8° The total price of services invoiced, as well as notification of any potential review of the aforesaid costs in accordance with the provisions of article R 211-10; 9° Notification, if necessary, of charges and taxes relating to certain services such as airport landing tax, disembarkation or boarding tax at ports or airports, or tourist occupancy tax, when not included in the package or part of services provided; 10° Schedule of payments ; the last instalment paid by the buyer may not represent less than 30 % of the overall price of the journey or holiday and must be made when documents validating the journey or holiday are handed over; 11° Specific conditions requested by the buyer and accepted by the vendor; 12° Conditions under which the buyer may enter a claim against the vendor for non-fulfilment or poor execution of contract terms; the claim must be sent as soon as possible by registered post with acknowledgement of receipt and also, if necessary, notification to the holiday organiser and service provider concerned; 13° Deadline for buyer notification by the vendor of cancellation of the holiday where trip is subject to a minimum number of participants in accordance with the terms of clause 7 of the article R 211-6; 14° Contractual terms of cancellation; 15° Terms of cancellation stipulated in articles R 211-11, R 211-12 and R 211-13; 16° Details concerning risks covered and level of claims authorised by the insurance policy covering the consequences of civil responsibility of the vendor; 17° Indication of insurance policy taken out by the buyer covering the consequences of certain cases for cancellation (policy number and name of the insurance company) as well as that of the emergency assistance coverage for specific risks, especially repatriation fees in case of accident or illness; in this case, the vendor must provide the buyer with a document detailing, at the very least, risks covered and excluded by the policy; 18° Deadline for vendor notification in case of sale transfer by the buyer; 19° A promise to provide the buyer with the following information in writing at least ten days before the date of departure: a) Name, address and telephone number of the vendor’s local representative or, if this is not available, addresses and telephone numbers of local organisations capable of helping the customer in case of difficulty or, if this is not available, the number where the vendor can be contacted in case of emergency; b) Concerning children’s trips and holidays abroad, a telephone number and address providing direct contact with the child or person responsible for the child at the holiday location; 20° Clause for cancellation and refund without penalty of sums settled by the buyer in the case of non-compliance with the obligation to provide information as stipulated in clause 14 of article R 211-6 [only applies when air travel is involved]”.