Frequently Asked Questions

All of Méribel’s ski schools offer English speaking instructors for both group and private lessons. Just make sure you specify an English speaker when you book.

Definetly get it waxed when you get there, depending on the snow temperature depends on which wax, but it will make a big difference.

Also with it being a new board you'll need it de-tuning (local shop will help you out), basically de-tuning the edges at the front and back will help avoid catching your edge.

Most ski teachers wouldn’t recommend starting skiing before the age of three or four at the earliest. The right age will vary from child to child, and depends upon the child’s strength, co-ordination and attitude. For this age group skiing should remain a play activity, so don't expect a young child to ski all day - a couple of hours is ample.

Remember children lose heat faster than adults so dress according to the weather conditions and make provision for it changing - hats, waterproofs and gloves are essentials. Helmets are recommended too.

Remember to protect your child's eyes and skin from the sun - not only are the infra-red and UV rays less filtered by the atmosphere at altitude, but 85% of the rays are reflected by the snow. Use category 3 or 4 UV sunglasses/goggles, and reapply SPF30 suncream at least every two hours.

It's a good idea to have a contact phone number and address in your child's pocket in case you become separated on the mountain.

Dry slab avalanches typically reach a speed of 90-130 km/h within about 5 seconds after they fracture. Avalanches that descend from above kill very few people. Wet avalanches usually travel much more slowly, around 30 km/h.

Look and Listen: you can understand a lot just by watching and listening.

Look: Recent avalanche activity is the most practical way to begin to evaluate the snowpack stability: if all of the east-facing slopes around you have evidence of recent avalanche activity and you are about to set out onto the only east facing slope that has not avalanched, this is clearly not a good idea.

Listen: When you hear and feel 'whoomphing', the snowpack is collapsing beneath you. The snowpack is telling you that it is unstable. If you are on a steep slope, it will be more than telling you, it will be releasing at the same time as the 'woomph'.

First thing in the morning after a snowstorm, snowpack stability is often uncertain. So, it's a good idea to start out on low-angle slopes - while constantly looking around to see if there are any consistent 'themes' in the recent avalanche activity (slope aspects, depth of slabs, steepness of slopes etc.) For example, if you notice that many northwest facing slopes have avalanched, this is a theme and a clue that there is significant instability on those slopes. Whether or not it is advisable to venture out onto those slopes depends on many other factors ranging from group dynamics and skill level to recent weather events, (e.g. rapid temperature fluctuations), steepness of slopes and the terrain below.

Never base evaluation of stability on only one clue!!!

Here are a few things that you should look for systematically each time you go out onto a slope (this list is not exhaustive, but it covers the essentials!):

Steepness: Almost all avalanches occur on slopes between 35 and 45 degrees. An 'expert' slope at a ski resort is usually around 35 degrees maximum.

Anchors: Trees and rocks that stick up through the snowpack can help to hold the snowpack in place. But the anchors need to be fairly thick to be effective. For instance a thick, mature grove of evergreen trees anchor the slab quite effectively while a sparse grove of trees has very little effect.

Aspect with respect to wind: Recently wind-loaded, steep slopes are almost always very dangerous while recently wind-eroded slopes are usually fairly safe.

People die quickly from carbon dioxide poisoning because their carbon dioxide builds up in the snow around their mouths. Statistics show that about 90% of avalanche victims can be recovered alive if they are dug out within the first 5 minutes. However, after 45 minutes, only 20-30% are still alive - after two hours, almost no one is alive.

Many of the accidents resulting in deaths have occurred right next to the piste, due to ignorance. They could therefore have been avoided. If you are a good skier or snowboarder who mostly skis on the piste and you play around next to the piste, then you are a prime candidate for an accident. The same goes for climbers: statistics show that the typical victim of an avalanche is a male in his mid-late 20's, has a good level of knowledge about skiing, boarding or climbing, but very little knowledge about avalanches.

Usually it's safe. But there are a number of things to watch out for: multiple avalanche starting zones ('hang fire') looming above, dense snowfall, hard wind. If there is rapid melting going on, then there's a good chance of another avalanche coming down. It's a hard call, especially if you are going to rescue someone.

Spring conditions may be the time of year when there are the most avalanches, but once a regular cycle of melting and freezing sets in, predicting the stability of the snowpack is more evident than during the cold winter months. During the freeze phase, the snowpack is at its strongest. Once free water has seeped into the snowpack, through rain or melting, then it can turn into ice when the temperatures go below freezing - the ice forms a sort of 'skeleton' that holds the snowpack together. Melting during the day and freezing at night is a classic springtime process. In these conditions, after a good freeze at night, the slopes are very stable first thing in the morning. Then, as the sun rises (warming east facing slopes first), the ice skeleton holding the snowpack together melts and the slope eventually becomes much less stable.

In melting and freezing conditions, the snowpack is at its strongest during the freeze phase then at its weakest during the melt phase. In between these phases, the sking conditions can be tremendous as long as people haven't been there too late the day before. Get on the slope as the first few centimetres are beginning to melt and then get off. When melting penetrates more than 5 cm then the slope has started to become unstable and you will start to break through the crust - this alone can lead to injury. Making the right calls in these conditions takes experience - but that is part of the adventure!

Go one at a time on slopes that are questionable, have an escape route planned in your mind, stop at islands of safety and don't bury and kill people in the group below you. Windward slopes and especially ridges are the safest routes to travel on (but be careful of cornices - you can't see where they overhang when you are on top of them on the ridge!!). Thick trees are safer, but once the trees become sparse enough to get some good turns in, you are back in potential avalanche terrain. Finally, if things look really nasty, go back the way you came... if that is not also suspect.

Even though the answers to these last few questions are 'common knowledge' among professionals, Bruce Tremper provides the clearest explanations we know of. And so we often quote and paraphrase him:

"Snow is a lot like people. It doesn't like rapid change."

When people go through a lot of changes in a short amount of time, they can become very stressed and break up. Snow is the same - it needs time to adapt to change. Different types of people and different types of snowpacks have different tolerances to different types of change and stress. Dry slab avalanches occur when a relatively weak layer beneath the slab fractures, usually because too much additional weight has been added too quickly.

Snow is very sensitive to the rate at which it is loaded or stressed: a metre of snow added over two weeks is not a problem. A metre of snow in two days is a big problem. A metre of snow in 3 hours is a huge problem (wind can easily deposit a metre of snow in three hours). Finally, the weight of a person can add tremendous stress to a buried weak layer, not in 3 hours, but in two tenths of a second - an instantaneous change. That is why in 90% of all avalanche accidents, the avalanche trigger is the victim (or someone in the victim's party) and 90% of the time it is a slab avalanche that is involved. Wet slab avalanches occur for other reasons: percolating water dissolves the bonds between the snow grains, which decreases the strength of the ice 'skeleton' and adds lots of stress to a buried weak layer - if there is one.

Dry slab avalanches account for almost all avalanche fatalities. In the northern hemisphere, these accidents happen in winter conditions (December to mid-March) and most often on north-facing slopes.

Wind is the most common cause of acute instability. Wind can deposit snow 10 times faster than snow falling during storms. Wind erodes snow from the upwind side of obstacles and deposits snow on the downwind (lee) sides. We call this "wind loading".

The added weight from this "wind loading" also causes avalanches. If the weight of new snow is added faster than a buried weak layer can adjust to its load, then it fractures and forms an avalanche. Rapid warming can also cause dry avalanches but this is a much rarer occurrence.

Rain or melting of the snow surface can also cause avalanches. For instance, rain on new snow almost instantly causes avalanches. Strong sun or warm temperatures can also cause melting of the snow and creates wet avalanches. Large wet avalanches occur because of a decrease in strength of a buried weak layer as a result of water dissolving the bonds between the snow grains.

But wind, snow or rapid warming do not always produce avalanches. It depends on the condition of the pre-existing snow and the conditions during the storm. With very stable pre-existing snow, even heavy, new snow with wind can bond well and be perfectly safe in the right conditions.

Depending on the situation there are a number of things that you should try to do:

First, once the snow starts moving, try to get off the snow that is breaking up as soon as possible. You can get out of an avalanche early if you are close to the fracture line or close to the edge (or flank) especially if the snow isn't too broken up. If you are close to one of these edges, do everything you can to move towards it. If the fracture line is just above you, try to allow the snow to move past you. For example, if you are on skis, side-step up, grab a tree, do whatever you possibly can. If the fracture line is way above you and you can't make it to the side fast, point your skis or snowboard downhill, say a prayer if you are so inclined, go like hell and try to get out of the way lower down.

There is a lot of controversy about what you should do if you are caught in the turning snow. First, see: 'What is it like to be caught in an avalanche?' above. Some say swim (since a person is about three times denser than moving avalanche debris) and others say roll. The most important thing is to keep your mouth free of snow especially when the snow comes to a stop; an air-pocket is essential to your survival in what amounts to a concrete tomb. It's almost impossible to dig yourself out of an avalanche. Most people suffocate within 15 minutes if they haven't actually been killed by the avalanche (approximately 10%). Before it stops, you can try pushing a hand upwards. Visual clues are the fastest way for rescuers to find you, but then, you may not be able to make an air-pocket.

For climbers... this whole scenario is horrific, especially when ice axes and people are attached to each other.

The colours represent the scale of difficulty:
Green: very easy, corresponds to a beginner level and nursery slopes
Blue: Easy, the gradient has increased, a few bumps and dips. Great fun once you are confident
Red: Steep slopes, intermediate or above. Can be a challenge in places
Black: technically difficult and steep. Advanced levels only.

The scale applies whichever activity you are doing (skiing, cross-country or biking).

If you like your skis and are travelling by air, it is imperative that you pack them in a ski or board bag for protection. Most airlines will still take your skis if they are not in a ski bag; just don’t be surprised at the condition they arrive in at the other end of your flight. A ski or snowboard bag can also be packed with soft items (ski trousers, jumpers etc) around your skis or board to give them added protection. Just be careful if the equipment is covered in storage wax.

If driving to resort, the most convenient alternative is a roof "coffin" style box that will carry several pairs of skis/boards, boots and poles. A roof rack is also a handy alternative and can be retned from many ski shops. If using a roof rack, try to cover the bindings over to prevent them getting covered in grit and salt. Roof boxes and roof racks should be lockable and therefore fairly secure from thiefs.

Very easily! Always take precautions against the strength of the sun on a skiing holiday. At altitude, and with the reflection off the snow, the sun’s rays can cause damage very quickly. Always, always wear sunglasses, even when the sun is not shining. Apply sunscreen, apply it thickly and keep applying it (you can still burn though cloud cover). Putting on factor 40 once in the morning will not protect you from burning. Reapply every couple of hours.

Skiers: knee ligaments (anterior cruciate ligament in particular) Make sure your ski-bindings are adjusted correctly for your weight and level of skiing. Over 80 % of accidents to skiers which result in sprained knee ligaments resulted from skis not coming off during a fall.

Snowboarders: injuries to wrists and head (wear a helmet and wrist protectors) and broken collarbones. Be careful not to crash into anyone when you are wearing a helmet as this can injure them severely(seriously!).

For more information on skiing and snowboarding injuries, and how to avoid them, check out Ski-injury.com

Injury rates for skiing are much lower than most people imagine, at between 0.2 and 0.4%. The French Society of Orthopaedic Surgeons suggests the following eight points to reduce your risk: improve your physical fitness before your holiday; ensure bindings are correctly set for your ability, weight and height; chose the correct equipment for your level; wear a helmet (especially in a snowpark); warm up before setting out; make sure you take enough food and liquids; and take a rest or cut short your day when you start to feel tired.

To this we would add: follow the piste safety code (see ‘Activities and Ski FAQ); hire equipment from a specialist shop rather than borrowing from friends; stay within your own limits and don’t try to keep up with more experienced friends. And bring non-slip boots for walking around the resort as pavements can be icy.

If you are coming out at the weekend which day should you travel? Traditionally Saturday-Saturday travel to France has been the main option. However, Sunday-Sunday is becoming ever more viable an alternative to the near total saturation of Saturdays.

Typically Sunday travel has been the preserve of smaller, more exclusive operators but now more companies have added these products into their brochures via their committed bedstocks.

Choice of day will of course be determined firstly by your commitments back home and then availability.
However, thinking that with Sundays you won't have a 'day at home to recover' should not be a reason not to seek out this alternative.

The significant advantages being:
1. An extra day to prepare/shop before you come out
2. Ease of travel - less congestion with less chance of delays
3. Ease of access to equipment and lift-passes after the rush
4. Empty pistes on the final day (Saturday when everyone else is travelling)
5. A much more tranquil return home meaning less time needed to recover from the journey
6. Potentially lower prices as demand is lower

These factors should definitely feature in your considerations.

Terms and Conditions
Independent Ski Links is part of, and is a trading name of ISL Travel Ltd (Travel Trust Association T6924), 2 Sidings Court, Old Bridge Road, Hornsea, East Yorkshire, HU18 1RP, company registration number 06665149.

ISL Travel Ltd t/a Independent Ski Links and Purely Meribel act as an agent for the travel providers, operators and suppliers.

Please read these booking terms and conditions carefully as they set out our respective rights and obligations. In these Booking Conditions references to "you" and "your" include the first named person on the booking and all persons on whose behalf a booking is made or any other person to whom a booking is added or transferred. If you have any further questions after reading these booking conditions then please contact our team who will be happy to help you.

Prices displayed on the website and in quotes are a from price and are subject to availability. Availability of a holiday or flight at an advertised price cannot be guaranteed although we do our best to ensure that all details relating to prices, images and all other information on our website is correct. However some details may have changed by the time you book your holiday or travel arrangements. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our data, however you must ensure you check all details at the time of booking, and not rely solely on the information contained on any website operated by us.

Some prices shown may be based on certain occupancy levels for the accommodation. For up to date pricing please contact us for full details. The price of holidays and flights are in GB Pounds sterling and are usually (but not always) inclusive of all taxes unless otherwise indicated.

All payments are taken in GB Pounds and any Euro prices quoted are given as an approximate guide only.

BOOKING DETAILS:
When a booking is made all details will be read back to you. Once you have confirmed these details we will proceed to confirm the booking with the principal(s) or supplier(s). Please check that all names, dates and timings are correct on receipt of all documents and advise us of any errors immediately. Any changes to these details may incur extra admin charges. Please ensure that the names given are the same as in the relevant passport. The booking information that you provide to us will be passed on only to the relevant suppliers of your travel arrangements or other persons necessary for the provision of your travel arrangements. The information may therefore be provided to public authorities such as customs or immigration if required by them, or as required by law. This applies to any sensitive information that you give to us such as details of any disabilities, or dietary and religious requirements. Certain information may also be passed on to security or credit checking companies. If you are travelling to the United States of America, the US Customs and Border Protection will receive this information for the purposes of preventing and combating terrorism and other transnational serious crimes. If you travel outside the European Economic Area, controls on data protection may not be as strong as the legal requirements in this country. If we cannot pass this information to the relevant suppliers, whether in the EEA or not, we will be unable to provide your booking. In making this booking, you consent to this information being passed on to the relevant persons. Full details of our data protection policy are available upon request.

PAYMENT
You will be required to pay a deposit or make full payment for your booking at the time of booking. Where you only pay a deposit you must pay the full balance by the balance due date notified to you. The balance of the cost of your arrangements must be received by us by the date stated on your confirmation invoice. Reminders are not sent. If we do not receive all payments due (including any surcharge where applicable) in full and on time, we reserve the right to treat your booking as cancelled by you on behalf of the suppliers concerned and charge the cancellation fees set out in their Terms and Conditions.

All payments made by cheque should be made payable to TTA Trustees (UK) Ltd Trustee of Client Monies of ISL Travel Limited.

INSURANCE:
Many principals/suppliers require you to take out travel insurance as a condition of booking with them. In any event, we strongly advise that you take out a policy of insurance in order to cover you and your party against the cost of cancellation by you; the cost of assistance (including repatriation) in the event of accident or illness; loss of baggage and money; and other expenses.

CANCELLATION and AMENDMENT:
Any cancellation or amendment request must be sent to us in writing and will not take effect until received by us. If you cancel or amend your booking the principal(s) or supplier(s) may charge the cancellation or amendment charge shown in their Terms and Conditions (which may be 100% of the cost of the travel arrangements) and you must pay us the cancellation or amendment charge stated below.

DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS:
All documents (e.g. invoices, tickets, insurance policies) will be emailed to the party leader. If they need to be posted they will be sent to you by First Class post. Once documents leave our offices we will not be responsible for their loss unless such loss is due to our negligence. If tickets or other documents need to be reissued all costs must be paid by you. You can ask for delivery by other means subject to extra charges which will be quoted to you.

PASSPORTS, VISAS AND HEALTH:
We can provide general information about the passport and visa requirements for your trip. Your specific passport and visa requirements, and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. Neither we nor the principal(s) or supplier(s) accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. Most countries now require passports to be valid for at least 6 months after your return date. Please take special note that for all air travel within the British Isles, airlines require photographic identification of a specific type. We can provide general information about any health formalities required for your trip but you should check with your own doctor for your specific circumstances.

FINAL TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS:
Please ensure that all your travel, passport, visa and insurance documents are in order and that you arrive in plenty of time for checking in at the airport. It may be necessary to reconfirm your flight with the airline prior to departure. You should take a note of any reference number or contact name when reconfirming. If you fail to reconfirm you may be refused permission to board the aircraft and you are unlikely to receive any refund.

COMPLAINTS:
Because the contract(s) for your travel arrangements is between you and the principal(s) or supplier(s), any queries or concerns relating to the travel arrangements should be addressed to them. If you have a problem whilst on holiday, this must be reported to the principal/supplier or their local supplier or agent immediately. If you fail to follow this procedure there will be less opportunity to investigate and rectify your complaint. The amount of compensation you may be entitled to may be reduced or you may not receive any at all depending upon the circumstances. If you wish to complain when you return home, write to the principal/supplier. You will see the name and address plus contact details in any confirmation documents we send you. We will of course assist you with this if you wish.

Special Requests
If you have any special requests (for example dietary requirements, cots or room location), please let us know at the time of booking. We will pass on all such requests to the supplier but we do not guarantee that they will be met and we will have no liability to you if they are not.

Accommodation Ratings And Standards
Accommodation ratings are displayed as provided by the supplier. These are intended to give a guide to the services and facilities you should expect from your accommodation. Standards and ratings may vary between countries, as well as between suppliers. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of any ratings given and no warranty is given or implied.

Safety standards in some countries may differ from those applicable in the United Kingdom We strongly advise that all customers seek to minimise their exposure to injury by familiarising themselves with relevant safety information.

Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by any event which we or the supplier of the service in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. These events can include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, civil strife terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, epidemic, pandemic, chemical or biological disaster, adverse weather conditions and all similar events outside our control or the control of the supplier concerned.

Conditions Of Suppliers
Many of the services which make up your holiday are provided by independent suppliers. Those suppliers provide these services in accordance with their own terms and conditions. Some of these terms and conditions may limit or exclude the supplier's liability to you, usually in accordance with applicable International Conventions. Copies of the relevant parts of these terms and conditions are available on request from us or the supplier concerned.

Behaviour
Please be aware that the booking conditions of the supplier will normally state that your stay can be terminated, with no refund, if the behaviour of your party falls below an acceptable standard. Suppliers will also often require you to pay for any damage you cause to the accommodation in resort. We are under no obligation to you if any event such as this occurs. You agree to indemnify us for the full amount.

As an agent we accept no responsibility for the acts or omissions of the principal(s) or supplier(s) or for the services provided by them. The principal’s(s’) or supplier’s (s’) Terms & Conditions will apply to your booking and we advise you to read these carefully
as they do contain important information about your booking.
Please ask us for copies of these if you do not have them. Our Terms of Business are governed by English Law and the jurisdiction of the English Courts. You may however, choose the law and jurisdiction of Scotland or Northern Ireland if you wish to do so. All travel arrangements which we provide or which are sold through us are not an offer by us to sell any travel arrangements, but an invitation to you to make an offer to the suppliers of the arrangements. We are free to accept that offer on behalf of those suppliers or to reject it.

These are the terms on which we will make a booking for your travel or holiday requirements. By making a booking, you agree on behalf of all persons detailed on the booking that you have read these terms and conditions and agree to be bound by them; you consent to our use of information in accordance with our Privacy Policy; and you are over 18 years of age. When making your booking we will arrange for you to enter into a contract with the principal(s) or other supplier(s) (e.g. tour operator/airline/ accommodation company) named on your receipt(s). If you book a package package holiday you will have one contract with the principal.

Disclaimer
While every effort has been made to ensure that all the information and instructions on this site are accurate, up-to-date and safe, skiing is a dangerous and unpredictable sport. ISL Travel Ltd t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links takes no responsibility for injuries or damage that may occur as a result of following instructions or recommendations made here.

We offer hypertext links to other websites merely for your convenience. The inclusion of such links on our Site does not mean that we endorse any material on those linked sites or have any association with them whatsoever.



Accommodation Only/Independent Travel & Tailor-made Booking Conditions

BOOKING. When accommodation is booked ISL must be in receipt of the relevant deposit (or full payment if booking within 10-12 weeks). Deposits are non-refundable in all cases. A contract exists when a deposit is received/paid. This binds the client to paying the relevant deposits and balances. The contract is subject to English Law. Please make all cheques payable to ISL Travel Ltd. ISL Travel Ltd t/a Independent Ski Links and Purely Meribel act as an agent for the travel providers, operators and suppliers.

CANCELLATIONS must be confirmed in writing by the person who signed the booking form. The following cancellation charges are payable (charges may vary depending on the actual accommodation booked and the individual suppliers scale of charges):
For cancellation received outside 10 weeks prior to departure date the deposit only shall be forfeited.
For cancellations before 70 days: Loss of deposit, 69-43 days: 50% cancellation charge, 42-29 days: 75% cancellation charge, 28 days or less: 100% cancellation charge.
Your are strongly advised to arrange comprehensive travel insurance including cancellation cover

Alterations and cancellations by you: If, after our confirmation has been issued, you wish to change your holiday we will do our utmost to do so, provided that notification is received in writing more than 10 weeks prior to departure. Such alterations will be subject to an alteration fee of £25. Please note that certain travel arrangements (e.g. airline tickets) cannot be changed after a reservation has been made and any alteration requests will incur a 100% cancellation charge.

If we change or cancel your holiday: Occasionally, it may be necessary to make changes to your travel and accommodation arrangements and we reserve the right to do so at any time. Most of these changes will be minor and we will advise you of them as early as possible. We also reserve the right in any circumstances to cancel your travel arrangements. We will not however cancel your travel arrangements less than 10 weeks before your departure date, except for reasons of force majeure or failure by you to pay the final balance. If we are unable to provide the booked travel/accommodation arrangements, you can either have a refund of all monies paid or accept an offer of alternative arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available. If we have to make a major change to your holiday you will have the choice of either accepting the change of arrangements, accepting an offer of alternative arrangements of comparable standard from us, if available, or cancelling your booked holiday and receiving a full refund of all monies paid. Please note that carriers such as Airlines may be subject to change. Other examples of minor changes include alteration of outward/return flights by less than 12 hours.

PASSPORTS/VISAS/VACCINATIONS.
It is the passengers responsibility to have a valid Passport, Visas, Permits or any other travel regulation. Allow at least 12 weeks for passport renewals/applications.

INSURANCE:
Organising adequate travel insurance is essential for every member of the party. It is your responsibility to ensure that the insurance cover you purchase is adequate for your particular needs. We do not accept responsibility for any costs you or a member of your party may incur as a result of failing to take out adequate insurance cover.

SELF-CATERING APARTMENTS/CHALETS.
A refundable breakage/damage/security deposit is required with all self-catering apartments/chalets. This is usually payable on arrival in resort in the local currency (between 300-1000+ euros/apt: please contact ISL for exact amount). If you arrive late in resort/when the local office is closed please visit the office the following day in order to check-in and pay the damage deposit (& tourist tax). If you do not do so we reserve the right to use the card/payment details we have on file for this breakage/damage deposit. The sum reserved by this clause shall not limit the clients liability to the accommodation supplier.
With some accommodation suppliers this damage/security deposit must be paid before departure. In these instances normally credit/debit card details are taken and held on file as security with the clients agreement relevant amounts can be deducted from the card in the event of damages/breakages etc.
If a supplier requires a fully paid upfront security deposit/bond we have to take the deposit/bond from the card, which will be refunded to the client after the holiday (less any deductions required).

Please check the inventory on arrival. In the event of any breakage’s it would be of great assistance if you could replace the item concerned. Many items are available from a supermarket at reasonable cost. Alternatively any breakage’s will incur a charge. Damaged items/breakages which were not caused by your party and already damaged when you arrived must be reported to the local office or UK office immediately otherwise you may be held responsible for such damages, and deductions made from your security deposit. It is a condition of the let that the apartment is vacated clean and tidy.

End of stay Cleaning is sometimes included (except the kitchen area - no washing up left, bins emptied etc.), but not always. If not included a charge may be payable locally/prior to arrival (this may be an optional or a compulsory charge). Please leave the accommodation clean & tidy. Service charges may be extra (e.g. electricity, water), payable at the end of the stay.
Arrivals are usually from 5 pm. (if you are arriving earlier please contact ISL and we will try to make arrangements). Departures usually by 9-10 am the following Saturday.
Blankets/Duvets and pillows are supplied, sheets and towels are generally not. These can be hired locally (for around £20/pers/week) or taken with you.
Keys are collected locally - Local agency to be advised – please ensure keys are returned as instructed.
A small tourist/holiday tax is payable on collection of keys of approx 0.90-2.50 euros/pers/day.

The client agrees to be a considerate tenant and to take good care of the property and to leave it in a clean and tidy condition at the end of the rental period. If a final clean is included in the price the accommodation supplier/ISL Travel Ltd reserve the right to make a retention from the security deposit to cover additional cleaning costs if the client leaves the property in an unacceptable condition. The client also agrees not to act in any way which would cause disturbance to those resident in neighbouring properties and to abide by the rules of the building’s management.
If pets are accepted in the apartment (please confirm if acceptable) any damage caused or extra cleaning required must be fully paid for.

Accommodation suppliers/ISL Travel Ltd shall not be liable to the client:
For any temporary defect or stoppage in the supply of public services to the property, nor in respect of any equipment, machinery or appliance in the property.
For any loss, damage or injury which is the result of adverse weather conditions, riot, war, strikes or other matters beyond the control of accommodation suppliers/ISL Travel Ltd t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links.
For any loss, damage or inconvenience caused to or suffered by the client if the property shall be destroyed or substantially damaged before the start of the rental period and in any such event, any accommodation suppliers/ISL Travel Ltd shall, offer suitable alternative accommodation or refund all sums previously paid in respect of the rental period.
Under no circumstances shall ISL Travel Ltd t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links liability exceed the amount paid to ISL Travel Ltd t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links for the rental period.

Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by any event which we or the supplier of the service in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. These events can include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, civil strife terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, epidemic, pandemic, chemical or biological disaster, adverse weather conditions and all similar events outside our control or the control of the supplier concerned.

HOTELS & CATERED CHALETS:
In addition to ISL booking conditions clients are also subject to any further conditions of the individual hotel/chalet.

Airlines: The conditions of carriage of the particular carrier you are travelling with apply, some of which may limit liability. Please note in accordance with Air Navigation Orders, an infant must be less than 2 years of age on the date of their return flight, to qualify for infant status.

Flights: The flight times given are for general guidance only and are subject to change. The latest timings will be shown on your confirmation invoice. However, the actual flight times will be those shown on your tickets, which will be dispatched approximately 2 weeks before departure. You must check your tickets very carefully immediately on receipt to ensure you have the correct flight times. It is sometimes possible that flight times may be changed even after tickets have been dispatched – we will contact you as soon as possible if this happens.

Car hire: All rentals are subject to legal terms, conditions & pricing procedures of the car hire co/ supplier

Weather conditions: ISL Travel Ltd (t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links) will not be responsible for any loss, delay or cost connected with adverse weather conditions.

Force Majeure
Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions we will not be liable or pay you compensation if our contractual obligations to you are affected by any event which we or the supplier of the service in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. These events can include, but are not limited to war, threat of war, civil strife terrorist activity and its consequences or the threat of such activity, riot, the act of any government or other national or local authority, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, fire, epidemic, pandemic, chemical or biological disaster, adverse weather conditions and all similar events outside our control or the control of the supplier concerned.

Unused tickets/arrangements etc: ISL Travel Ltd (t/a Purely Meribel and Independent Ski Links) will make no refund to clients in respect of unused portions of air, boat, rail, bus, accommodation, ski or other tickets, unused accommodation or meals.

CLIENT LIABILITY. Group leaders are responsible for the conduct of their party. All clients must behave in such a manner as to not damage the accommodation, cause offence, danger or annoyance to other clients. If a client breaches this clause it will result in the termination of the contract. Clients are liable for the cost of any damage they have incurred to any accommodation or other property.

All descriptions, given orally or in writing are given in good faith based on information believed to be correct at the time. Apartment/chalet descriptions are indicative and may vary slightly from property to property. ISL Travel Ltd shall not be liable to the client for any loss, damage, injury, death or extra expense however arising during the clients holiday.

We want your holiday to be as enjoyable as possible, but occasionally even the best laid plans can go wrong. If you have a complaint during your holiday please inform the local agent. If you are unable to resolve your complaint in resort then please contact ISL Travel Ltd in the UK immediately in order to give us an opportunity to resolve the problem. We are sure you will understand that we are unable to accept any liability whatsoever unless we are notified immediately of any problems during your stay. Complaints not settled during your holiday should be made in writing within 28 days of the end of the holiday.

This contract shall be governed by English Law in every particular including formation and interpretation and shall be deemed to have been made in England. Any proceedings arising out of or in connection with this contract may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in England.

IT IS A CONDITION OF BOOKING THAT ALL MEMBERS OF THE PARTY HAVE ARRANGED ADEQUATE WINTER SPORTS AND ANY OTHER INSURANCE COVER.

The Travel Trust Financial Guarantee
The Travel Trust Association is a trade association of Travel Agents, Tour Operators and Travel Organisers, that operate trust accounts, in order to provide financial protection for the consumer. The TTA lays down strict guidelines on how customer funds may be handled and each member must adhere to these guidelines. Every Travel Trust Association member deposits your money into the Trust Account. A Trust Account is a bank account designated to hold the customer's money.

Your money remains in the Trust Account and is supervised by an appointed trustee who is either a banker, chartered or certified accountant or a solicitor. Both the Travel Trust Association members and the trustee are required to authorise payments from the trust account.

In addition to being held in trust, you also have a financial guarantee from the Travel Trust Association.

TTA will guarantee the financial obligation of its members up to a maximum any one passenger of £11,000. So if you paid £2,000 we guarantee we will reimburse the loss of the £2,000, where it is not available for you from the Trust Account.

Therefore, the Trust Account plus the guarantee will ensure that all the money which you have paid is safely protected and available to reimburse the money paid. When you make a booking, you will be supplied with a guarantee certificate – you can see the terms of our guarantee on our website www.traveltrust.co.uk/guarantee.

Should the TTA member become insolvent, in most instances your money will still be held within the TTA member’s Trust Account by the designated Trustee, and available to pay for your holiday. If because of fraud or dishonesty the money is not there, then the guarantee is available to reimburse your loss. In some cases your holiday may continue as the providers or suppliers have already been paid. Where you have only paid a deposit and still have an outstanding balance, your holiday may be unaffected and by paying the balance your holiday will continue as planned. Where possible, attempts will be made to ensure that you can carry on with your original holiday arrangements.