These General Terms and Conditions of Sale apply to day trips organized by Arnauld D’Heeger (Mountain Leader) under the trade name “Chemins Occitans,” based at 10 Rue Lancefoc, 31000 Toulouse; email: chemins.occitans@gmail.com; tel.: 06 26 23 81 25 (SIRET No.: 878 247 519 00019).
Article 1 : Services
Mountain hiking or snowshoeing trips—with no altitude limit, but excluding terrain requiring mountaineering equipment or techniques (rock climbing, glaciers, skiing, etc.)—that include at least one overnight stay in accommodation.
Article 2: Booking/Cancellation/Payment
Article 2-1: Booking
Bookings for trips are made via the Chemins Occitans website by selecting an excursion on the “Events and Rates” page. Exceptionally, bookings may also be made by phone (06-26-23-81-25) or email (chemins.occitans@gmail.com), provided the following details are supplied: the full name, email address, and mobile phone number of the person making the booking, as well as the full name of each participant included in the reservation.
Article 2-2: Payment Schedule
The payment schedule applicable to stays that include accommodation is as follows.
| Stage | Amount Paid | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation Date | 0% | Deadline to reserve a spot and access priority options. |
| Registration date | 30% | Security deposit to reserve the accommodation and cover administrative fees |
| Settlement Date | 70% | Allows for finalizing reservations (mountain huts, logistics) and confirming the group. |
Article 2-3: Cancellation by the client.
In the event of cancellation by the client, the following cancellation fees apply.
| Time before departure | Cancellation fees | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days or more | 10% (administrative fee) | Reasonable timeframe to put the space back on the market and cancel reservations. |
| Less than 30 days | 50% | Non-recoverable costs incurred (refuge booking often non-refundable at this stage). |
| Less than 15 days | 100% | Difficulty finding replacements and non-recoverable costs (guide, mountain hut). |
If the balance is not paid 30 days prior to departure, the reservation will be considered cancelled, and the security deposit (30%) will be retained as a cancellation fee.
Article 2-4: Cancellation by Chemins Occitans
Chemins Occitans reserves the right to cancel a trip only in the following cases:
- Insufficient number of participants (minimum registration not met).
- Problème logistique majeur (ex : indisponibilité du guide ou des hébergements).
- Force majeure (see Article 2-5).
In the event of cancellation, the client will be notified by email or telephone within 48 hours and may choose between:
- A full refund within 14 days.
- Postponement of the stay (valid for 12 months) at no extra cost.
If the cancellation is due to a lack of participants, the client will be informed at least 20 days before departure.
Chemins Occitans shall not be held liable for incidental expenses incurred by the client (e.g., train tickets, equipment) in the event of cancellation.
Article 2-5: Force majeure
In the event of force majeure or exceptional and unavoidable circumstances preventing the performance of the service, Chemins Occitans may, depending on the circumstances, offer to reschedule or refund the amounts received for the unperformed services, to the exclusion of any additional compensation.
Article 2-6: Payment
Payments can be made:
- by check (payable to Arnauld D’Heeger)
- by bank transfer (you will be provided with the bank details)
- by bank card (a payment link will be provided to you)
Article 3: Physical conditions
Access to the Activity may be subject to physical or experience-related prerequisites. Each outing carries a difficulty rating (see description) in accordance with the recommendations of the French Hiking Federation (Fédération française de la randonnée pédestre). It is the Client’s responsibility to verify that they meet the prerequisites corresponding to the outing’s rating. Any Client who falsely claims to meet these prerequisites—and whose physical fitness or experience level is lower than declared—bears full responsibility for any consequences that may arise. In particular, the Client must disclose to the Guide any health issues, medical history, short-term or long-term treatments, or past accidents that could affect their physical or mental health, as well as any specific apprehensions (such as vertigo, history of accidents, fears, etc.) related to the booked activity.
Article 4: Insurance
Your guide holds professional liability insurance covering the proposed activity. However, each participant is advised to verify that they have personal liability insurance and, if desired, assistance/repatriation insurance suited to the activity. For mountain-based activities in particular, it is recommended to check for coverage of any potential rescue, search, evacuation, or transport costs. Below is a non-exhaustive list of insurance types covering: liability, search and repatriation, and cancellation (often optional). As insurance offerings change frequently, you are strongly advised to verify in each instance that the proposed coverage meets your needs..
Article 5: Loan equipment
In the event of damage caused by improper use of the loaned equipment (e.g., hiking poles, snowshoes, binoculars, etc.) or in the event of loss, the client may be required to pay compensation for wear and tear or the full cost of the equipment.
Article 6: Right to one’s image
Image Use Authorization: The Client authorizes Chemins Occitans to use, without time or territorial limitation, photographs taken by Chemins Occitans guides or provided by the Client to Chemins Occitans as part of the service, for promotional purposes (website, social media, printed materials, etc.).
Exception: This authorization does not apply to images containing
Article 7 : Program change
For safety reasons—including, but not limited to, weather conditions, terrain conditions, administrative orders, or the group’s actual ability level—Chemins Occitans reserves the right to modify the itinerary, schedule, stages, or planned objective (such as deciding not to summit) without this constituting a breach of contract entitling the client to compensation, provided the overall nature of the service remains unchanged.