LEGAL
TERMS & CONDITIONS
Parties
SUD OUEST WAY, referred to as “Operator”, provides transfers, guided walking tours, semi-private day and multi-day trips, private day and multi-day tours, and shore excursions in France. These Terms and Conditions apply to each Tour program provided by the Operator, hereinafter referred to as “Tour”. In these Terms and Conditions, the undersigned is hereinafter referred to as “Guest”.
It is each individual traveller’s responsibility to read and understand the Operator’s terms and conditions. Completion and submission of the Operator’s online booking or credit card form, accompanied by the per-person tour deposit or payment, constitutes the Guest’s acknowledgement, acceptance and agreement of the Operator’s terms and conditions.
All monies are paid in Euros. The Operator reserves the right to change its travel policies without notice.
Reservations
Reservations are accepted by the Operator upon receipt of a completed and signed reservation form, submitted either as a document or through our website, accompanied by a 50% deposit. For multi-day tours and packages, the remaining balance is due no later than 30 days prior to the Tour departure date. Reservations made within 30 days of the departure date are subject to full payment within seven days from the date of receipt of the Tour reservation.
If the Operator does not receive the balance payment from the Guest by the designated due date, the Operator reserves the right to cancel the reservation.
Payment conditions and cancellation fees for private tours
SUD OUEST WAY requires a deposit of 50% on booking confirmation, with the balance to be paid at least 15 days prior to arrival. In case of last-minute registration, payment is expected immediately. We accept payment by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) or bank transfer, with wire transfer fees at the charge of the Guest. A charge or service fee of 1% to 2% applies to credit card payments. For any cancellation, the following fees will be deducted from the refund:
- Payment will be fully refunded if the request is made 15 days or more before the tour.
- Payment will be 50% refunded if the request is made between 15 and 8 days before the tour.
- No refunds will be issued within the 8 days before the tour, except in very exceptional cases such as a ship unable to dock or a cancelled flight or train.
- A credit will be issued for unforeseen circumstances.
All private tours are subject to modification of itinerary or cancellation in case of unexpected events such as poor traffic or weather conditions, or any other matter that could incur a risk in driving. Our drivers, guides or travel agents will keep clients informed in case modifications or cancellations are made to ensure the safest possible travel options.
Wine tours
SUD OUEST WAY reserves the right, and delegates to its drivers the right, to refuse to carry any person thought to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or whose behaviour is considered to pose a threat to the chauffeur, the vehicle or other passengers.
Parents or minders, including friends over 18 years old, of children and adolescents under the age of 18 are responsible for the conduct of these minors while in the vehicles, and will be held responsible for any damage they cause.
The legal drinking age in France is 18 years old. Parents or minders are therefore responsible for minors during the wine tours as regards alcohol consumption.
Any damage caused to a SUD OUEST WAY vehicle by a customer must be paid for immediately. If payment cannot or will not be made, SUD OUEST WAY will be forced to take legal action against the customers in question. Passengers are not allowed to bring alcoholic drinks onto our vehicles for the purpose of consuming them, or to drink such beverages on board.
Smoking is not permitted in SUD OUEST WAY vehicles.
Operator cancellation or substitution
SUD OUEST WAY may, at its sole discretion, substitute a service or good of similar quality for any service or good stated in a Tour itinerary without notice. The Operator shall attempt to notify the Guest of the cancellation of a Tour for which the Guest has paid a deposit or Tour Fee as soon as possible after the Operator’s final decision to cancel.
If a Tour is cancelled, the Operator’s liability is limited to a full refund of the affected Guest’s Tour deposits and Tour Fees. The Operator will not be liable for any other costs, damages or refunds of any kind for any loss, delay, inconvenience, disappointment or expense whatsoever in such circumstances.
The Operator is not responsible for any loss incurred on account of non-refundable or non-transferable air, train or other transport tickets.
Itineraries are subject to change. Due to circumstances beyond its control, the Operator may make partial changes to the stated itinerary. Every effort is made to keep changes to a minimum, and the high quality of the Tour is always maintained.
If a Guest encounters any problem during the delivery of a Tour, the Guest is requested and responsible to bring the problem to the lead guide’s attention immediately, in order to give the guide and Tour team the chance to correct it.
Uncompleted or unused portions of any tour itinerary are not cause for complaint or refund. If, for reasons beyond the Operator’s control, a Tour in progress must be interrupted or cancelled, the Operator will in good faith refund a portion of the Tour Fees depending on the actual costs incurred compared to the Tour as originally contemplated.
Price and fees
Prices are subject to change without notice. Once the Operator receives the Guest’s completed credit card booking form and Tour deposit payment, the Guest’s Tour price is guaranteed and will not increase.
The Operator reserves the right to charge an administrative fee to process Tour balance payments made by credit card or wire transfer.
Responsibility
The Operator expressly limits its performance to the delivery of a Tour with accompanying food, when applicable, and ground transportation from site to site.
The Operator and its agents expressly exclude all other guarantees and warranties, including but not limited to the warranty of workmanlike performance. Furthermore, the Operator and its agents will not be responsible for any direct or indirect consequential damages or injury that may result from a Tour.
The Guest is completely responsible for all their actions, and agrees to hold harmless the Operator and its agents for any accident, damages or injury.
The Operator and its agents are not responsible for acts of God, acts of war or terrorism, and the Guest agrees to hold the Operator and its agents harmless for any incident or injury resulting from the same, or from any other event of force majeure.
Only the Operator may finalise an order or Tour booking and make it a binding contract to provide its services to the Guest.
The responsibilities of the Guest include, but are not limited to, adherence to all local laws, respecting customs, culture, guides and local professionals, assessing their own abilities, respecting other Guests’ privacy, and following the suggestions and advice of the Operator and Tour guide during a Tour. The Operator reserves the right to decline, accept or retain at any time any Guest as a participant of a Tour, if the Operator deems that the Guest’s behaviour is disruptive to the group or Tour, is inappropriate or offensive to the group, or interferes with the delivery of the services of the Tour.
The Operator reserves the right to remove any Guest from a Tour should the Operator determine that the Guest cannot meet the physical requirements of the Tour as stated in the itinerary, is disruptive to the Tour time schedule, or is adversely affecting the overall group dynamics. In the event that a Guest is removed from a Tour, the Operator will not refund any monies. Transportation costs to return home, airline penalties and any other expenses will be the responsibility of the Guest.
In the event that a Guest voluntarily chooses to leave a Tour, the Operator will require a written, signed statement of the Guest’s intent to depart, and will not refund any monies. During a Tour, the Guest participates in as many or as few activities as they wish and at their own discretion. No refunds will be made for unused services, activities, tastings, excursions, workshops or portions of a Tour for any reason.
Child policy
Infants aged 0 to 4 years old are not accepted on any of our shared semi-private tours. Our private tours can be adapted to all families, with infant-friendly activities on request. Adults travelling with children over 4 years old have the obligation to inform the Operator of the age and weight of the child, so that we may provide the adequate child or booster seat. Without this information, the Operator will not accept the child on the tour and no refund will be possible for the child or the accompanying adults. Children aged from 4 to 12 years old benefit from a 50% reduction on the adult price for shared tours.
Health
By completing either an online booking form or a printed booking form, and by sending a deposit toward their trip purchase, the Guest certifies that they do not have any physical condition or disability that would create a hazard for themselves or other travellers, certifies that they are physically able to participate in the Tour, and certifies that they are aware of all the walking and standing disclosures and requirements of the Tour.
Insurance
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance is highly recommended, but not required to participate in a Tour. Such insurance protects the Guest should they need to cancel for certain necessary reasons such as illness, unemployment or death, and provides refunds for air travel and the Tour.
Additional insurance for baggage, health and accident is also strongly recommended and available through most major travel insurance providers. The Operator is not responsible for additional expenses that may occur as a result of the Guest not purchasing travel insurance.
Use of guest images and feedback
Photographs and video taken by the Operator’s Tour leaders and other representatives during a Tour are the property of the Operator, and may be used in promotional materials. Feedback, whether verbal or written, provided by the Guest to the Operator about a Tour is also the property of the Operator, and may be used in promotional materials including the Operator’s website and social media.
Acceptance of terms and conditions
Acceptance of the initial services to be provided on the Tour shall constitute an acceptance by the Guest of these Terms and Conditions recited above. The Guest understands that this is a legally binding and enforceable contract.
By paying the deposit to the Operator, the depositor, also known and referred to herein as the Guest, therefore agrees to be bound by the above-recited Terms and Conditions.