Booking conditions

Dear Customers,

We agree to read travel conditions is exhausting and not necessarily interesting! But they are also important and help make sure you are going to be happy with the holiday you are booking and the service you are going to receive. Whilst you will need to ensure you read our full conditions before making a booking, we have summarized here, in plain English, the bits you might be most interested in.

I. Conclusion of the Travel Agreement

1. By registering, the Customer undertakes to enter into a travel agreement with FRANCE A VELO. Registration shall take place in writing on the form designated for this purpose. A telephonic, oral or other form of registration with us. Registration shall be carried out by the registering party for all co-named participants. The registering party firmly agrees to these conditions of travel, including on behalf of and for the co-named participants.
2. The agreement shall come into being upon acceptance by FRANCE A VELO.
3. Subsidiary agreements and amendments to the concluded travel agreement shall require our written confirmation.

II. Payment

After receipt of the booking confirmation, a down payment of 20%, however not less than 100,-€  per person shall be due. The balance due shall be paid no later than 14 days before the start of the journey – at the same time the travel documents are handed over to the travelers. Accounts are available to you in France and Germany for your payment. Please note that the full amount due must be credited to our account; any banking charges shall borne by the travel participants.

Payment Method:

Pay your France A Velo tour online by credit card. Following cards are accepted: MasterCard, VISA.
Please note: A service charge of 10,-€  is due per invoice. However, the service charge will not be applied in case of a bank transfer.

 III. Changes to the Reservation

Changes to the booking in terms of number or types of rooms, hotel category and type of board shall, providing such is possible in the hotels and there is sufficient capacity available, is basically possible up to 14 days prior to the start of travel. Nonetheless, we will however have to charge you for the time and effort involved. For each change, we shall charge you      25,- €.

IV. Cancellation by the Customer or Participants

1. The Customer may withdraw from the agreement at any time prior to the start of travel. We recommend that the Customer communicate his or her cancellation in writing form. In the event of a cancellation or no-show, we shall be entitled to charge the following fees (percentages refer to the price of travel):

Up to 42 days before the start of travel: 20 %
From 41 to 22 days prior to the start of travel: 25 %
From 21 to 15 days prior to the start of travel: 40 %
From 14 to 1 days prior to the start of travel: 60 %
From 1 days and no-show: 90 %
By travel expense 100% on the travel price.

We recommend a travel withdrawal insurance, please note that the insurance doesn’t work for travel expenses.

For that  case you shall take another insurance.

2. Each registered travel participant may allow a third-party to take his or her place if he or she notifies us thereof in writing up to three days prior to the start of travel. FRANCE A VELO may refuse the third party’s participation for good cause. The conditions of cancellation above shall apply. If a substitute person takes the registered participant’s place, this shall not affect the original contract. We shall be entitled to charge 40,-€ for change fees.

V. Price

The price of travel listed is per person based on occupancy in a double bed room. If available, a single bed room can be booked for a surcharge. In some hotels however, there are only a limited number of single bed rooms meaning that you may if necessarily have to make due with a simpler room or, under certain circumstances, have to go to another hotel or private bed and breakfast. If, exceptionally, no single bed room can be made available, you will have to share a room in a two-bed room. In this case you will of course receive a prorated refund.

VI.Liability and Limitation of Liability

1. FRANCE A VELO shall be responsible for making pre-travel preparations, careful selection and monitoring of the service providers as well as for the accuracy of the descriptions of service valid for the period of travel at the time our catalogue is printed.
2. Every travel participant shall be responsible for ensuring that his or her health is suitable for the requirements of travel.
3. Travelers shall take part in our cycling journeys at their own risk. Minors may only participate in a journey when accompanied by a parent or guardian.
4. The conditions of carriage of the particular transport companies shall apply to all means of transport (bus, boat, airplane, etc.).
5. In addition, every travel participant shall be responsible for the observance of traffic regulations.
6. In the event of damage caused solely by one of the service providers selected by us or which is not due to premeditation or gross negligence on our part, then our liability shall be limited, regardless of the legal basis, to three times the price of the journey.
7. In the event of loss or damage to travel luggage, we shall only be liable if the loss or damages is caused by us and is communicated to us immediately after the occurrence. In this event, we shall only be liable for up to a max. of EUR 200.00 per person. We assume no liability for: items which are not usually transported in travel luggage, means of payment of any sort, for visual damage and damage to handles and wheels or damages to pieces of luggage weighing more than a total of 20 kg. We recommend that you take out a travel security package to cover these risks. Transportation of customer bicycles before, during and after our cycling journeys is possible at the customer’s own risk only. The settings of our cycle carriers are fitted to our rental bicycles, therefore minor damages (e.g. scratches to the paintwork) can occur. Consequently, we cannot be made liable for damages originating from transportation. Above mentioned limitation of liability is also applicable for partner tours and transportation via third parties.

8. If, due to reasons beyond our control (adaptations, renovations, etc.) a scheduled tour cannot take place, we cannot assume any liability.
9. If a journey is cancelled due to reasons beyond our control (strike, natural disaster, etc.) or if the minimum number of participants of guided group tours (8 people) and bike & boat tours (15 people or as listed in the offers) is not reached, we reserve the right to cancel the journey up to 25 days before the planned travel date. In this event you shall be notified without delay and will be refunded any amounts already paid to us. You shall not be entitled to any compensation beyond this.

VII.  Guarantee

1. Remedies: If the travel service cannot be performed as specified in the agreement, the Customer can demand redress. What is contractually specified shall be based on the one hand on the description of service and on the other on what is customary in the destination country. FRANCE A VELO can refuse a remedy if it requires disproportional costs and efforts but shall also be entitled to provide a remedy in the form of services of equal or greater value. Substitute services can only be refused by the Customer for a significant, objectively identifiable reason. The demand for a remedy shall be communicated directly to us or to the guide. The guide shall have no authority to recognize claims.
2. Travel Price Reduction: The Customer may, after returning from the journey, request a reasonable reduction in the price of travel (discount) for the duration of the contractually non-contractually compliant portion of the journey until a remedy is provided by FRANCE A VELO. The reduction shall not apply if and to the extent that the traveler, through his or her fault, fails to communicate the deficiency to the parties listed in Item VI (1) in a timely manner so as to enable them to provide a remedy.
3. Any claims must be lodged with us no later than one month after the contractually scheduled end of travel.

VIII. Miscellaneous

1. The Customer shall be responsible for complying with all passport, visa, customs and health regulations.
2. We must reserve the right to make changes to prices and services and to correct any mistakes and typographical errors.
3. The invalidity of individual provisions in the travel agreement shall not invalidate the rest of the agreement.

IX. Jurisdiction/Applicable Law

1. The agreement is governed by French Law.
2. The Customer may only bring legal action against FRANCE A VELO at its registered place of business.
3. The Customer’s place of residence shall be authoritative for actions by the travel against the customer unless the action is directed against general merchants or persons without a general place of jurisdiction in France. In this case, the registered office of the tour operator shall be authoritative.

 X. Insurance

Your money is saved. France a Velo has taken out an insurance policy guaranteeing its professional civil liability up to 200.000 € with the Assurance Groupama.