An Exceptional Guide Travel Agency License Siret Number): 833 116 874 000 11 Financial Guarantee: ECA Civil Liability Insurance: ECA, Registered Office:
92-98 Bd Victor Hugo, 92110 Clichy, SIRET: 435 304 621 00020
Last updated: July 8th 2026
1. Introduction
This Exchange & Refund Policy (“Policy”) governs all bookings made through An Exceptional Guide, whether made online, by phone : + 33 6 95 40 30 91 by email : priveetdexception@gmail.com, or in person at our office. By confirming a booking with us, the Customer (“you”) acknowledges having read, understood, and accepted the terms set out below, together with our General Terms and Conditions of Sale.
This Policy is drafted in accordance with the general principles applicable to travel agencies operating in France, including the French Tourism Code : 79.90Z, the requirements of Paris Police Prefecture, responsible for licensing Concierge Services & Tour Guides, Tour Operators, also, Atout France (the French tourism development agency responsible for licensing travel operators), and EU Directive 2015/2302 on package travel and linked travel arrangements, as transposed into French law. Local tourist offices (“Offices de Tourisme”) and destination management organizations may apply complementary conditions for activities, tours, or accommodations they provide directly; where applicable, those specific conditions will be communicated to you at the time of booking.
General Principle: All bookings made with [Your Agency Name] are EXCHANGEABLE but NON-REFUNDABLE, except where French or EU law grants a mandatory right to a refund (see Section 8) or where explicitly stated otherwise in your booking confirmation.
2. Booking Confirmation and Payment
- A booking is considered confirmed once a deposit or full payment has been received and a written confirmation (email or booking voucher) has been issued by the Agency.
- Payment of a deposit or full amount constitutes acceptance of this Policy.
- Prices are guaranteed only once full payment has been received, except in cases of proven error, currency fluctuation clauses, or supplier price revisions permitted under Article L.211-13 of the Code du tourisme.
3. Exchange Policy (Modifications by the Customer)
The Agency allows changes to an existing booking under the following conditions:
3.1 What Can Be Exchanged
- Travel dates (subject to availability)
- Destination or itinerary (subject to availability and price difference)
- Traveler names (subject to airline/supplier policy — some air tickets are strictly non-transferable)
- Accommodation category or room type
- Add-on services (excursions, transfers, insurance, etc.)
- All exchange requests must be submitted in writing (email) to [contact email].
- Any price difference resulting from the new dates/services (e.g. seasonal pricing, currency variation) is payable by the Customer.
- Certain third-party suppliers (airlines, boutique hotels, festival/event tickets) may classify their inventory as strictly non-exchangeable and non-refundable; this will be clearly flagged at the time of booking.
- Exchanges are subject to availability at the time of the request and are not guaranteed.
3.3 Value of Unused Services
If an exchange results in a lower-cost package, the Customer will receive the difference as a credit note (avoir) valid for [12/24] months from the date of issue, to be used for a future booking with the Agency. No cash or bank refund will be issued for the difference, except where required by law (see Section 8).
4. Cancellation by the Customer
4.1 General Rule: No Refund
In accordance with our “exchangeable, non-refundable” policy, cancellations initiated by the Customer do not give rise to a monetary refund, whether partial or total, except where mandatory legal provisions apply (Section 8).
4.2 Cancellation Options
Instead of a refund, the Customer may choose between:
- Conversion to a credit note (avoir) — valid for [12/24] months, usable for any future booking with the Agency, subject to a cancellation processing fee (see table below).
- Postponement / exchange — see Section 3.
(Adjust percentages to match your actual supplier and cancellation cost structure. These typically mirror the scale suppliers — airlines, hoteliers, cruise lines — apply to the Agency, which is why refunds are limited.)
4.4 Non-Refundable Third-Party Bookings
Certain bookings (promotional airfares, non-refundable hotel rates, event tickets, visa/consular fees, certain insurance premiums) are non-refundable and non-exchangeable from the moment of purchase, regardless of the timeframe. This will always be disclosed clearly before payment.
5. Cancellation or Modification by the Agency
- If the Agency must significantly modify or cancel a package before departure (e.g. due to insufficient participants for a group tour, supplier failure, or force majeure), the Customer will be offered:
- An equivalent or superior substitute package at no extra cost, or
- A credit note, or
- A full refund, in accordance with Article L.211-14 of the Code du tourisme, when the Agency is the cancelling party and no substitute is accepted.
- Refunds due to Agency-initiated cancellation are processed within 14 days of the cancellation notice, in line with EU Directive 2015/2302.
6. Force Majeure
Neither the Customer nor the Agency shall be held liable for failure to perform obligations due to force majeure events (natural disasters, pandemics, war, terrorism, government travel restrictions, strikes, closure of borders, etc.).
- If the Agency cancels due to force majeure, amounts paid for services not rendered are refunded, minus any costs already irrecoverably incurred with suppliers (Article L.211-14 Code du tourisme).
- If the Customer cannot travel due to a force majeure event affecting them personally (illness, bereavement, etc.), standard cancellation fees (Section 4) apply unless the Customer holds valid travel cancellation insurance (see Section 7).
7. Travel Insurance — Strongly Recommended
Given the strict exchange/no-refund policy, the Agency strongly recommends that all Customers purchase:
- Trip cancellation insurance (assurance annulation), to cover non-refundable amounts in case of illness, accident, bereavement, or other covered events.
- Travel assistance insurance (assistance rapatriement), covering medical emergencies and repatriation abroad.
Insurance can be subscribed at the time of booking through [insurance partner name] or independently. The Agency is not responsible for claims decisions made by third-party insurers.
8. Statutory Exceptions (Mandatory Refund Rights)
Notwithstanding the “exchangeable, non-refundable” principle, French and EU law provide for mandatory refunds in the following situations, which the Agency will always honor:
- Agency-initiated cancellation of a package before departure (Art. L.211-14 Code du tourisme).
- Significant unilateral change by the Agency to an essential term of the contract (price increase over 8%, schedule change, destination change) which the Customer refuses.
- “Unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances” at the destination (per EU Directive 2015/2302) making performance of the package impossible, with refund limited to services not rendered.
- Insolvency of the Agency — covered by our financial guarantee held with [guarantor name], as required by Atout France licensing rules.
- Any other case where French consumer law (Code de la consommation) or the Code du tourisme mandates reimbursement.
Note: the standard EU 14-day “right of withdrawal” (droit de rétractation) for distance-selling does not apply to travel and accommodation services booked for a specific date, per Article L.221-28 of the Code de la consommation — this is why travel bookings can lawfully be structured as non-refundable outside the exceptions above.
9. Refund Method and Timeline (When Applicable)
Where a refund is legally due:
- Refunds are made using the original payment method.
- Processing time: within 14 days of the event triggering the refund right, per EU Directive 2015/2302.
- Bank fees or currency conversion losses linked to international refunds may be deducted, where legally permitted.
10. Group Bookings, Tailor-Made Trips & Events
- Group bookings, incentive travel, weddings, and tailor-made/custom itineraries are subject to specific, individually negotiated cancellation and exchange terms, detailed in the dedicated quotation/contract, as these often involve non-recoverable deposits paid to venues, guides, or exclusive suppliers.
- Deposits for such services are frequently non-refundable and non-exchangeable from the date of payment, and this will be explicitly stated in your custom quote.
11. Complaints and Mediation
If you are unsatisfied with how your exchange or cancellation request was handled:
- Step 1 — Contact us directly: [email / phone / postal address], within [30] days of the issue.
- Step 2 — Written complaint: If unresolved, send a formal written complaint by registered letter to our head office.
- Step 3 — Tourism Mediator: If no satisfactory resolution is reached within [60] days, you may refer the matter free of charge to the Médiateur du Tourisme et du Voyage (MTV), the independent consumer mediation body recognized for the French travel industry, at: www.mtv.travel
- You may also contact your local Office de Tourisme or the relevant consumer protection authority (DGCCRF) for general guidance.
12. Governing Law
This Policy is governed by French law. Any dispute not resolved through mediation shall fall under the jurisdiction of the competent French courts, without prejudice to any mandatory consumer protections applicable in the Customer’s country of residence under EU law.
13. Contact Us
[Your Agency Name] [Address] Email: [email] Phone: [phone] Atout France Registration Number: [IMxxxxxxxxxx]
This document is a general template inspired by standard practices of Atout France–registered travel agencies, French Offices de Tourisme, and tour operators, combined with EU Package Travel Directive requirements. It is provided for informational purposes and should be reviewed by a qualified lawyer specializing in French tourism/consumer law before publication, to ensure it matches your exact licensing status, supplier contracts, and financial guarantee terms.