THE LADY OF THE CHATEAU SAS

CREATIVE RETREATS, WORKSHOPS, EVENTS, CHATEAU LIFE STAYS

TERMS & CONDITIONS - UPDATED June 29 2023

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The Lady of the Chateau Information 

 

Your booking is with our company: The Lady of the Château SAS, a company registered in France with its registered address at 72 Lieu Dit Puy Vidal, 16110 La Rochefoucauld-en-Angoumois, SIRET 90767819700019. The agreement concerns the Retreat (“the Activity") of part or all of Chateau de Puy Vidal 16110 La Rochefoucauld-en-Angoumois (“the Property, “Facility”). 

 

Contact email: admin@ladyofthechateau.com.

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We, The Lady of the Chateau “Organisers” are employees of The Lady of the Chateau SAS. Workshop leaders, guest instructors or temporary representatives (“Facilitators”) are NOT employees of The Lady of the Chateau, and represent independent businesses. “Guests, Attendees, Participants” refers to any party who has made a deposit or full-payment for enrollment in our Retreat activity. 

Our Cancellation, Refunds, and Deposit Policies - Please read policies below specifics for your type of booking.

 

All prices and rates are quoted in Euros and must be paid in Euros. It is our guests, participants, & workshop attendees responsibility to assess the current market exchange rate, with your financial institution, to understand the exchange your home currency will be convert into in order to complete payment for services rendered. 

Full deposit payment is require to guarantee your spot and complete your booking.

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Not included in our retreat and workshop prices:

 

Air transportation and related transportation activities, airport transfer to train, train transportation; passport and visa expenses; baggage, accident, or cancellation insurance; and alcoholic beverages not served at meals at the Venue; Art Supplies *unless specifically mentioned on workshop page*; Shipment of completed art and any other items not specifically noted as included in our ALL-INCLUSIVE packages.

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Workshops & Retreats | Non-Refundable Deposits 

To preserve the integrity, investment and work hours of The Lady of the Château ”Organizers” and its “Facilitators” in preparation of our workshops, retreats, and events, we reserve the right to require non - refundable deposits ranging from 30% - 50% per-person (deposits vary per workshop) accompanied by a completion of the Registration form and agreement to these Terms and Conditions. *** *THIS CANCELLATION POLICY DOES NOT APPLY TO OUR CHATEAU LIFE STAYS.***

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• Please understand that The Lady of the Château incurs non-refundable costs with instructors, vendors, suppliers, and others.  Our non-refundable policy reflects that. We encourage attendees to only book when they are fully committed to joining us. In addition, we strongly recommend that attendees purchase travel insurance to cover their investment in their trip, as unforeseen events do occur. Leaving a Lady of the Château activity in progress, for any reason whatsoever, will not result in a refund, and no refunds will be made for any unused portions of an activity.

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Chateau Life Stays | Refundable Deposits 

Deposit: Château de Puy Vidal requires a deposit of 50% of the total reservation amount to confirm your booking.
Cancellations and full refunds are allowed up to 14 days prior to your "Chateau Life Stays" arrival. You have the option to cancel your booking and receive a full refund of your deposit, or you can apply the deposit towards another available "Chateau Life Stay".  After this 14-day period, the 50% deposit becomes non-refundable and cannot be reimbursed. However, you can still use the deposit towards another "Chateau Life Stay " week. To make any changes to your reservations, please email us at admin@ladyofthechateau.com.

Cancellation by Château de Puy Vidal: In the event of unforeseen circumstances such as international  and we, The Lady of the Chateau at Chateau de Puy Vidal, need to cancel any of our stays, workshops, retreats or events, we will provided all guests with a full refund. Please consider purchasing travelers insurances to cover any expenses incurred in the event of a cancellation. *See Protect Your Trip below* We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that you may have incurred as a result of your cancelled booking such as airfare, train tickets, car rentals, visas, insurances, vaccinations or non-refundable flights. 

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We reserve the right to cancel any of our events, include our workshops due to insufficient enrollment, a minimum of 6 attendees is required to run each workshop. If enrollment is not meet 12 weeks prior to start of workshop, that makes the trip economically infeasible to operate and we will cancel the event. If the Activity is canceled prior to the start date, The Lady of the Chateau will provide you with a full refund of monies paid or provide a credit toward a future Lady of the Chateau Activity equivalent to monies paid. If we cancel the trip in progress, you will receive a prorated refund based on the number of days not completed. The Lady of the Château will NOT be held liable or responsible for any refund for airline tickets, or transportation costs including car rentals. All refunds will be processed within 30 business days.

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In the event of a “facilitator” illness or injury prior to the start of the event or during the event, the lady of the chateau, reserves the right to carry on the workshop uninstructed, and will reimburse the pro-rated instructor fee for any services not rendered to all workshop, retreats, & event attendees.
 

 

• Protect Your Trip: We strongly recommend TRAVEL INSURANCE to protect your investment.

Travel insurance is inexpensive and can protect you by refunding monies paid if you need to cancel your trip due to an emergency or interruption, or cover travel costs if the event or stay is canceled. You may also ask for cancellation insurance in case you need to cancel.

 

We advise that you purchase travel insurance at the time you book your reservations to make sure that the policy covers the cancellation of flights. Each insurance company has their own policies, so you should consult with your agent to see what they cover.
We recommend the travel insurance company https://www.worldnomads.com/

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Meals at Chateau de Puy Vidal

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All food, wine, breakfast, lunch and dinner serve at the Château is included in your all-inclusive rate.


Food and wine served at the château varies depending on seasonal products, the tier and theme of your workshop as well as our Chef recommendations and pairings for your workshop week. Cooking is based on traditional French cuisine, intended to give workshop attendees a tour of France and our local Charente specialities.

 

Therefore, French regional staples are: diary, meats, bread & legumes. Based on this, it can be difficult for our traditionally trained Chef to create meat-free, gluten-free, or diary-free dishes that are to the same quality and excellence as the main menu. However, we will endeavour to provide options for those with special diets. 

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Please let us know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions or food allergies.

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Breakfast Buffet is available each morning, including an assortment of fresh breads, pastries, eggs, yogurts, coffee, tea, juices and fruit.

 

Open Snack, Coffee, Tea bar open 24/7. 


Dining out is possible, during workshop, but is at your own expense and transport.

 

Food and wine served at the château is included in the trip cost. 

Historic Accommodations

 

The rooms at Chateau de Puy Vidal vary in size, decor, and are assigned in the order of registration bookings subject to availability. We will assist participants who are requesting a roommate.

 

Participants will be notified if a suitable roommate is not available.

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For our painting workshops, we have an Art Studio where we leave workshop materials, supplies and wet paintings. We provide supplies such as easels, tripods, solvent, jars, gloves, paper towels, and trash bags.

 

Accommodations include bed linens, toiletries and bathroom towels.

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Breakfast, and other catering, is provided as outlined in the workshop description. Changes of sheets and towels are available on request.

In order to preserve the historic and relaxing nature of the Château we do not provide televisions in guest rooms.We have one common area television as well as a projector for larger shared viewings. If you would like to watch movies/tv in your bedroom, we recommend bringing a device for internet video streaming.

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We do not have air conditioning. The chateau maintains a lovely cool temperature in the summer thanks to its thick stone walls, and we recommend closing the shutters in bedrooms to maintain a lower temperature during the heat of the day.

 

Smoking and vaping (use of e-cigarettes) is not permitted inside the Property. Smoking is not permitted anywhere outside, in the gardens or in the courtyard. Vaping or use of e-cigarettes is allowed outside, provided it does not disrupt other guests. Candles are only allowed on the ground floor in common rooms, and under no circumstances in the bedrooms. Do not leave candles unattended.

 

The maximum number of people staying overnight at the property must not exceed the number agreed with us when booking. Please let us know in advance of any outside visitors who may be visiting the Property during your stay.

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We have a medium-sized australian shepherd(20kg/44lbs) and a calico cat on-site as part of our home. Please let us know if you have allergies or other triggers related to dogs or cats.  

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Language

The Lady of the Chateau “Organisers” are all native English speakers, who also speak competent French therefore can help with any local interactions.

No translation services are provided for workshops, and workshops will be conducted for participants fluent in the language.

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Transportation

 

Not Included in All-inclusive rate: Air transportation, train transportation; passport and visa expenses; baggage, accident, nor cancellation insurance; vehicle rental; and any other items not specifically noted as included.

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If you are staying off site: No shuttling service is available for off site guests. It is imperative that you rent a car to be able to attend our workshops, retreats, and events. We recommend that you arrange a car rental or car service prior to arriving if you plan to leave the property. We are located a 5 minute drive from our local town, offering a boulangerie, supermarket, cafes, chocolaterie, restaurants and some shopping. It also is famous for its Chateau de la Rochefoucuald. If you wish to leave the Chateau on separate outings from the group itinerary, your own personal transport is required. Car rentals are available at the Hertz, Avis, Budget, Rent a Car and Europcar all right outside of the train station in Angouleme(22km/14 miles).

Medical, Health, & Accessibility 

 

Travelers should have a personal supply of any prescription medications, and for emergency preparedness, we request guests to advise us of medical conditions and medications needed. Any physical condition, diet, or treatment requiring special attention must be reported in writing when you register. The nearest hospital is in Angouleme, approximately 28 km / 17 miles - about 22 minutes away.

 

The Lady of the Château has no expertise or responsibility regarding what medication the traveler and their private physician should decide necessary for a safe participation in the experiences. We can only offer a best-effort accommodation for disabilities due to the historic architecture of the chateau. We appreciate any advance requests for accommodations for disabilities, and will keep any confidences at the request of the participant.

 

You must be in good physical and mental health. Failure to participate in daily activities due to physical or mental health will not result in any refund.

All guests should be fit enough to walk unaided for at least 30 minutes, and manage a couple stairs between rooms at the Chateau. If you cannot climb full flights of stairs, we do have an elevator that accesses 3 of our bedrooms in the central wing. You may need to manage uneven stairs and occasionally steep walkways, as we may visit historic towns and villages. All guests must be able to carry their own supplies to and from activity sites and vehicles. We always try to park as close to the activity locations as possible.
We wish to create an inclusive experience, and have no tolerance for abuse or threats based on any category protected under the UN Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

 

The Lady of the Château reserves the right to refuse or remove any traveler from the Activity if we feel there is any risk to safety (with or without justification). Cancellation rates apply as above, and no refund will be given if the Activity is in progress.

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Intellectual Property

We reserve the right to take photographs or videos during the operation of any Activity or part thereof and to use the resulting photography, videos, or recordings for promotional or commercial use.

 

By making a reservation with a The Lady of the Chateau activity, the participant agrees to allow his, her, or their likeness to be used by The Lady of the Chateau without compensation to the participant. If the participant prefers that his, her, or their likeness not be used, he, she, or they must notify us in writing prior to the start of the Activity. Copyright in all photographs, video, and related materials created by the participant ("Materials") shall belong to the participant upon creation.

 

The participant grants to The Lady of the Chateau a non-exclusive, worldwide, irrevocable license to use any promotional materials The Lady of the Chateau creates in any media for editorial use, promotion of The Lady of the Chateau retreats and travel programs, or promotion of the mission of The Lady of the Chateau.

If you do not wish to have your photograph used, The Lady of the Chateau must be notified in writing no later than the beginning of the Activity.

 

Release of Liability and Responsibility

The Lady of the Chateau expressly limits its activity to the delivery of a workshop with food, lodging, day trips and event activities located at Chateau de Puy Vidal. This includes at the event facility, Chateau de Puy Vidal, and on day trip locations, enroute and on location: examples: Day Trip to Cognac, Day Trip to La Rochefoucauld. The Lady of the Chateau expressly excludes all other guarantees and warranties and is not responsible for any direct or indirect consequential damages or injury that may result from your travel. 

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The customer is completely responsible for all actions, and agrees to hold harmless The Lady of the Chateau or any Facilitators for any accident or injury. We are not responsible for Acts of God or acts of war or acts of terrorism, health epidemics or pandemics, and the customer agrees to hold harmless The Lady of the Chateau for any accident or injury resulting from the same, or as a result of any force majeure. Guests must be at least 18 years old unless accompanied by a legal guardian.

Force Majeure: The Lady of the Chateau will not be liable for any delay in, change to or cancellation of trips due to 'Force Majeure'. 'Force Majeure' means a circumstance beyond the reasonable control of The Lady of the Chateau and includes, but is not limited to, war or threat of war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, disease, industrial or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire and strikes.

Neither we nor the Lady of the Chateau, we the “Organisers”, nor our Facilitators will be liable to the guest(s):

  -        for any temporary defect or stoppage in the supply of public services to the property nor in respect of any equipment, plant, machinery or appliance in the property, or gardens

-          for any loss, injury or damage caused by failure to follow reasonable directions and instructions provided by “Organisers” or “Facilitators”

-          for any loss, damage or injury which is the result of adverse weather conditions, riot, war, strike, or other matters beyond control of the Company.

-          for any loss, damage or inconvenience caused to or suffered by the guest(s) if the property should be destroyed or substantially damaged before the start of the rental period and in any such event the owner shall within seven days give notification to the guest(s) and refund all sums previously paid in respect of the rental period.

-          for any injury, death or loss (other than through the Company’s or Owners own negligence) suffered to parties renting the Property.

 

Under no circumstances shall the Company’s or the Owners’ liability to the Guest(s) exceed the amount paid for the rental period.

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Dispute Resolution

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If the participant has a complaint, he, she, or they should first inform The Lady of the Chateau so that The Lady of the Chateau can attempt to rectify the matter. If the participant is still dissatisfied, he, she, or they should submit the complaint in writing to The Lady of the Chateau within thirty (30) days of the completion of the Activity.

 

Any controversy or claim arising out of or relating to this Agreement, website, brochures, or any other literature concerning this retreat, or the breach thereof, including without limitation any claim related to illness, injury, or death, shall be subject to the following conditions:
 

1) the dispute will be governed by the laws of France, department of the Charente;

2) the parties agree that they will attempt in good faith to settle any and all disputes arising out of, under or in connection with this Agreement, including without limitation the validity, interpretation,  performance and breach hereof, through a process of mediation in France, department of the Charente under the supervision of a mutually agreed upon mediator; 

3) in the event that mediation fails to settle such a dispute, the parties agree that they will proceed to arbitration in France, department of the Charente; 

4) the maximum amount of recovery to which a participant will be entitled under any and all circumstances will be the published cost of the participant’s Activity with The Lady of the Chateau.

 

This agreement to arbitrate does not waive or modify any liability release agreed by the participant.

 

Other: By registering for a The Lady of the Chateau Activity, the participant agrees to the Waiver and Terms and Conditions herein.