General Terms And Conditions Of Sale

1. Purpose and field of application

The reservation and operation of VDP cruises and any associated services are subject to these general terms and conditions of sale which prevail over any other VDP document, in particular brochures, advertisements and/or other documents provided by the client, including any general terms and conditions of purchase, the latter not being enforceable against VDP. Any reservation or purchase of a service automatically implies the Client’s unreserved acceptance of these general conditions of sale.

2. Reservation and payment

VDP offers private cruises and cruises open to the public on all or part of its boats.

2.1 Private cruises

2.1.1 Reservations are mandatory for all private cruises, and a quote must be requested by the Client. The reservation will only become final after VDP has received the quotation duly signed by the Client, together with a deposit of 50% of the total amount (including VAT) of the quote, and, if applicable, a security deposit which VDP reserves the right to request and the amount of which is agreed with the Client.

2.1.2  No later than 8 days before the date of the agreed service, a second payment of 50% of the total amount of the quote including tax must be made by the Client. If this second payment is not received within this time limit, VDP will consider that the reservation is cancelled for reasons attributable to the Client and will apply the provisions of article 4.1.1 of these terms and conditions

2.1.3  At least 5 days before the agreed date of the service, the Client must confirm to VDP by any written means (mail, fax, e-mail) the exact number of persons to be embarked. In the absence of such confirmation within this time limit and in the event that the number of persons embarked is ultimately lower than that initially communicated by the Client at the time of booking, VDP will invoice the Client on the basis of the number of passengers initially communicated.

2.1.4 Any Client wishing to organise services associated with a private cruise and/or to use external contractors or service providers must also provide VDP, at least 3 days before the agreed service, with the documents necessary for the proper execution of these services, in particular valid insurance certificates covering their civil liability and/or those of the service providers chosen by them. If these documents are not produced, VDP will consider that the reservation has been cancelled for reasons attributable to the Client and will apply the provisions of article 4.1.1 of these terms and conditions.

2.1.5 At the end of the service, a document indicating all the possible supplements to be paid by the Client, in particular in the case of catering services not managed by VDP, will be drawn up jointly by the Client and VDP’s on-board staff; this document may take into account, if applicable, any damage to the boat and its equipment during the cruise in question. The balance of the service, including any supplements, must be paid by the Client upon receipt of the invoice from VDP.

2.2 Cruises open to the public

2.2.1 Cruises are open to the public from 10 passengers upwards and within the limit of the boat’s regulatory capacity. VDP reserves the right to deny boarding to passengers under the age of 16 who are not accompanied by adults.

2.2.2 Reservations for these cruises become final only after VDP has received 100% of the total amount (including tax) of the service purchased, it being specified that vouchers presented by the Client will only be accepted if they have been issued by an intermediary approved by VDP.

2.2.3When making a reservation, persons with reduced mobility are invited to ask VDP about boat accessibility and how far in advance they should arrive before boarding.

2.2.4 For groups of at least 20 people, reservation is mandatory and only becomes final after VDP has received, at the latest 48 hours before the date of the service, confirmation from the Client by any written means (mail, fax, e-mail), of which VDP will acknowledge receipt. This confirmation must be accompanied by payment of the fixed deposit applicable to groups according to VDP’s current rates, the balance of the service being paid by the Client on receipt of the invoice from VDP.

3. Price – Invoicing – Payment

3.1 The prices charged by VDP are invoiced in euros, including all taxes, and are based on the pricing conditions applicable on the day of booking, which are available on request by the Client. They are subject to VAT at the legally applicable rate, and may be revised without prior notice, particularly in the event of the introduction of any new taxes or duties and/or any modification of current taxes or duties that would automatically lead to readjustment of prices.

3.2 Unless otherwise agreed by VDP, the services invoiced by VDP must be paid by cheque, credit card or bank transfer on receipt of the corresponding invoice.

3.3 Any delay in payment shall automatically and without prior warning lead to the invoicing of interest on arrears calculated on the principal amount due (excluding VAT) in accordance with the regulations in force.

4. Cancellation

4.1 Cancellation by the Client

4.1.1 For private cruises, in the event of cancellation for any reason whatsoever by the Client occurring:

  • up to 30 days before the date of the agreed service, VDP will invoice the Client for 50% of the total amount including VAT of the service,
  • from the 29th day to the 9th day before the date of the agreed service, VDP will invoice the Client for 80% of the total amount including VAT of the service,
  • from the 8th day before the date of the agreed service, VDP will invoice the Client for 100% of the total amount including VAT of the service.

4.1.2 For cruises open to the general public, in the event of cancellation for any reason whatsoever:

  • for reasons attributable to the groups referred to in article 2.2.4 of these terms and conditions, VDP will retain the sums already paid,
  • for reasons attributable to other Clients, tickets sold by VDP will not be exchanged or refunded by VDP.

4.1.3. If a distance contract is concluded within the meaning of article L.221-1 of the Consumer Code, VDP draws the Client’s attention to the fact that they do not benefit from the right of withdrawal in accordance with articles L.221-28-12° and L. 221-5 of the same Code. 

4.2 Cancellation by VDP

In the event of cancellation of a cruise by VDP for any reason whatsoever and notably in the cases referred to in articles 7.1.2 and 6 of these terms and conditions, the client will be entitled, wherever possible, to the replacement of the service not provided by VDP by an equivalent service and, failing this, to a refund.

5. Complaints

Complaints of a commercial nature or concerning the quality of the services provided must be sent by registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt to VEDETTES DE PARIS, Port de Suffren 75007 Paris, at the latest within 15 days from the date of the service provided.

Tourism and Travel Ombudsman: Jean-Pierre Teyssier – MTV Médiation Tourisme Voyage – BP 80 303 – 75 823 Paris Cedex 17

6. Operation of cruises

6.1. Rights and Obligations of VDP

6.1.1. VDP undertakes to take all appropriate steps to ensure the smooth running of the cruises in the conditions stipulated on reservation, and declares that it has taken out the insurance necessary to operate its business.

6.1.2. As the cruises are subject to the rules applicable to inland navigation, VDP reserves the right to modify, without prior notice or compensation, its cruises (in particular with regard to the itinerary, duration, timetable, boat…) or to cancel them at any time, including on the day of departure, in application of the aforementioned rules, or in the event specifically but not exhaustively of force majeure, acts or threats of terrorism, rising waters, flooding, bad weather, storms, instructions given by the authorities, pandemic, mechanical incidents and in general any event likely to jeopardize the safety of the persons and property transported.

6.2. Rights and Obligations of Clients

6.2.1 In the event that the Client wishes to organise additional services on a private cruise and/or to use external contractors or service providers, they must:

• ensure that the services provided comply with the applicable legislation and regulations,

• take all steps and carry out all formalities to obtain all necessary authorisations for their proper execution,

• and as set out in section 2.1.4 of these terms and conditions, provide VDP with the related documentation

6.2.2 At the latest 15 minutes before the scheduled departure time, the Client or the entire group must arrive at the boat’s embarkation point. For private cruises, VDP reserves the right, in the event of the Client’s late arrival, to reduce the cruise by a time equivalent to this delay, or to invoice the corresponding additional hours, with each hour begun being due in full. The time of the end of the service is, in all cases, recorded by the on-board personnel on the departure of the last passenger and countersigned by the Client.
For cruises open to the public, if the Client arrives late, they may, if applicable, be admitted on the next boat according to the places available with no entitlement to a refund of the service purchased.

6.2.3 VDP reserves the right to refuse boarding to passengers whose behaviour (e.g. drunkenness) is likely to disturb the smooth running of the cruise. Furthermore, no animals or equipment that could be dangerous to staff or passengers will be allowed on the boat.

6.2.4 From the moment they are invited to embark, each passenger must strictly comply with the instructions and safety precautions given by the boat’s staff and must ensure their own safety and that of persons in their care and/or property (clothing, luggage and other personal effects) that they own, hold or have in their care. In particular, passengers are prohibited from entering unauthorised areas of the boat, notably the engine room and the cockpit.

7. Responsibilities

7.1.1 As cruises are subject to all the rules applicable to inland navigation, VDP reserves the right to assess whether or not the river is navigable and may not under any circumstances be held responsible in the event of modification or cancellation of a cruise resulting from application of the aforementioned rules and, in general, from any event likely to jeopardise the safety of the persons and goods transported.

7.1.2 VDP may in no case be held responsible for damages of any kind resulting in particular from force majeure, acts or threats of terrorism, rising waters, flooding, bad weather, storms, technical incidents, failure of one of its service providers or those chosen, when applicable, by the Client, and in general any other event of any kind whatsoever that is beyond the control of VDP.

7.1.3. VDP accepts no responsibility for theft or damage to passengers’ clothing, hand luggage and other personal effects, and reserves the right to charge the Client for any damage to the boat and its equipment caused by the Client or any person for whom the Client is responsible (accompanying minor, member of the Client’s group, service provider chosen by the Client, etc.).

7.1.4 VDP disclaims all responsibility in the event of non-compliance by the Client with these general terms and conditions of sale, and with general and specific police regulations, without prejudice to any compensation that it may claim due to damages and prejudice suffered as a result of such non-compliance.

8. Applicable Law And Jurisdiction

In the event of a dispute relating to these general terms and conditions of sale as well as to the cruises and related services that they govern, unless another jurisdiction is expressly designated by the parties, the French courts will have sole jurisdiction and only French law will apply. Disputes arising between VDP and its clients registered in the Trade and Companies Register shall be submitted to the Paris Commercial Court.