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FAQS - Your questions answered

SECTION 1 - FAQ - Your holiday and pricing

What does the price include?
Are there any under-occupancy charges or additional supplements for guests?
Does the number of people affect the price?
Are there any additional costs?
How can you be so much cheaper than the big operators?

SECTION 2 - FAQ - Your holiday and travel

Are there any other travel options?
When can I travel?
Do you have any en-route accommodation if I don't want to do the whole journey in one day?
What if I want to make my own travel arrangements?
Do you organise car hire?
Can you arrange a transfer from the airport?
Do I need travel insurance?
Passport, health and Visas. What about these?
Exit checks (new 2015)
What about Brexit?

SECTION 3 - FAQ - Your holiday and the booking process

How long can I take out an option on an apartment/chalet/hotel for?
Can I make any special requests?
Do you need to be advised of any special needs within the party?
When will I receive an invoice?
When is the balance for my holiday due?
How can I pay the balance?
When will I receive my tickets?
Do you charge extra for booking via telephone?

SECTION 4 - FAQ - Your holiday and accommodation

When can we get into the apartment/chalet and when do we have to leave?
Are bed linen and towels included?
End of stay cleaning
How do breakage deposits work?
What will be in the apartments/chalets when we arrive?
Do all apartments and chalets have comfy sofas?
Do all apartments offer full home comforts?
What is an alcove/cabin?
What do I do if I have a problem with the accommodation?
What is a mezzanine?
Dogs and other pets
Fitness rooms
What do you call ski-in ski-out or doorstep skiing?
Swimming Pools in France; what do I wear and what is the temperature?
WiFi in residences
Can I be guaranteed a non-smoking apartment or room
Do apartments have baths or showers?

SECTION 5 - FAQ - Your holiday and the resort

Which resorts are suitable for beginners/intermediates/advanced skiers or snowboarders?
Can I pre-book ski passes and ski school?
What are the facilities for children?
What clothing do you recommend I should pack for skiing/snowboarding?
Do you have reps in resorts?
Do ski resorts have building work?

SECTION 6 - FAQ - Your holiday and financial protection

Is my money safe when booking with you?
Is Peak Retreats ATOL protected?

SECTION 7 - FAQ - Your holiday and important travel information

IMPORTANT!! Can I travel whilst pregnant?

SECTION 1 - FAQ – Your holiday and pricing

Q1. What does the price include?

A. All our prices include (unless otherwise stated) a return standard crossing with Eurotunnel LeShuttle from Folkestone to Calais (a free upgrade to FlexiPlus is included at most dates but at peak dates supplements apply, see price tables for details), all port taxes, accommodation, meals at hotels (unless otherwise stated), electricity, heating, water, gas and VAT.

Q2. Are there any under-occupancy charges or additional supplements for guests at self catering residences?

A. As our prices are based on a 'per property' basis you can enjoy the comfort of a larger property with no extra charge for the accommodation. It is also acceptable for friends to come and stay with you provided the stated maximum number of occupants is not exceeded as each apartment/chalet is furnished, equipped and insured for a stipulated number.

Q3. Does the number of people affect the price?

A. All our self-catering prices are 'per property' plus one standard Eurotunnel LeShuttle crossing. Provided you don't exceed the capacity of the apartment/chalet, the price will not increase if you have more people. If you need another car on the ferry please call us for a quote and remember you'll need to add any relevant supplement in winter. We could have priced our holidays on the basis of the first two adults (i.e. apartment package price divided by two) and then said all children and additional adults FREE but we don't subscribe to this kind of marketing ploy! For hotels the price is per person but after the second adult, it gets much cheaper. Children are cheaper too.

Q4. Are there any additional costs?

A. Additional supplements may apply for ferry, Eurotunnel LeShuttle (peak times) and train travel (as detailed on the transport page); Charges for facilities such a use of sauna (unless otherwise stated); Linen and end of stay cleaning for self-catering (unless otherwise stated); parking costs; ski equipment hire, lift passes and ski school (which you can pre-book); Deposits requested at self-catering locations on arrival (returnable deposit); Local tourist tax; Commercial card payments will incur a 1.85% charge in respect of all transactions.

Q5. How can you be so much cheaper than the big operators?

A. We aim to offer competitive prices and although we don't have a price match guarantee we are able to review prices if required. We are confident we won't have to! To find out why the large operators, whose brochure can be found in high street travel agents are so much more expensive please visit our 'Save with us' page.

SECTION 2 - FAQ – Your holiday and travel

Q6. Are there any other travel options?

A. Other routes and operators are available at an additional supplement (please refer to our transport page).

Q7. When can I travel?

A. We can arrange travel for you on any specified date depending on availability. Crossings are frequent, so notify us of your preferred travel dates and times and we will book you on the closest one. (Supplements for P&O and Brittany Ferries may vary depending on the time and date you wish to travel as detailed on the transport page). Please note that the tickets are only valid during the relevant season eg. winter tickets are valid from December-April, summer tickets from May-November.

Q8. Do you have any en-route accommodation if I don't want to do the whole journey in one day?

A. We have a number of en-route hotels in convenient locations, such as Reims, Troyes, Dijon etc and are happy to take care of arranging an overnight stop for you. View our en-route accommodation for further details and pricing.

Q9. What if I want to make my own travel arrangements?

A. If you want to organise your own travel arrangements, in winter, please deduct the relevant amount (as shown under the price table) per apartment or chalet or per person for hotels. This will give you the accommodation only price. Most of our resorts are within close distance of the major airports such as Geneva or Lyon. Please refer to our accommodation only page.

Q10. Do you organise car hire?

A. Sorry we do not arrange car hire.

Q11. Can you arrange a transfer from the airport?

A. We can pre-book your airport transfer by taxi from these airports - Geneva, Chambery, Grenoble, Lyon and Turin. Plus some trains stations too, such as Bourg St Maurice and Moutiers for instance. We can even arrange transfers across Paris if you are travelling by train and changing in Paris. Please see airport transfers or call us on 023 9283 9310 for further information.

Q12. Do I need travel insurance?

A. Personal and medical travel insurance including Winter Sports cover (if you take part in winter sports activities) is a vital aspect to booking a holiday, giving you protection not only against some forms of cancellation but also unforeseen circumstances that could otherwise spoil your holiday. With this in mind, we require that all our clients have adequate cover in place and by proceeding with this booking you confirm that you have or will have suitable travel insurance cover in place prior to the holiday.

Q13. Passports, Visas and health requirements. What about these?

A. 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. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements. See What about Brexit? section below to find out more about passport validity requirements from 1st January 2021.

Customers are reminded that they should check with their own doctor for advice on medical requirements of the host countries. You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or if you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. The GHIC or EHIC entitles you to state provided medical treatment that may become necessary during your trip to an EU country (these are not valid in Switzerland for example). Any treatment provided in France is on the same terms as French nationals. The GHIC and EHIC do not cover all health-related costs, for example medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment. As these only provide limited cover, we require all our customers to have adequate holiday insurance cover. For treatment in any country you will need to produce your passport.

Before travelling, you can check current guidance on travel to France https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/ . You can also check for any other countries you may be travelling through https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice .

Q14. Exit checks

A. The UK Home Office conducts exit checks at all UK airports and ports. Information that is included in passports or travel documents will be collected for passengers leaving the country on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes. The checks will be carried out by staff working for the airline, rail or ferry operators. Whilst there may be some differences in the way checks are conducted at different ports, data will be gathered on all passengers as this is the requirement set by UK government. As with any journey, we recommend that you give yourself enough time to reach your destination. Have your passport or travel document to hand and ready to be checked. If you have any specific questions, contact your carrier or port operator in advance. All data will be processed in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidentiality.

Q15. What about Brexit?

A. We recommend visiting ABTA's Brexit advice for travellers page, which has lots of useful information and practical advice.

From 1st January 2021, you'll need to have at least 6 months left on an adult or child passport to travel to most countries in Europe (including France). Your passport must not be over 10 years old. If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years will not count towards the 6 months needed so some passport holders will need to have more than 6 months remaining in order to travel. You can find out more about passport validity online.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has published advice on how to prepare for travel to Europe post-Brexit, which you can find here - https://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-1-january-2021

The advice covers preparing to travel with your pet. Post-Brexit, you are no longer able to use the previous pet passport scheme. You need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for your pet. You should contact your vet as soon as possible to arrange this as it can take up to one month to arrange this and relevant vaccinations. You can find out more here - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-from-1-january-2021

Also from 1st January 2021, you are no longer allowed to take meat or milk, or products containing them into the EU.

Specifically for entering France, from 1st January 2021, the French government has advised that you should queue in separate lanes from EU/EEA and Swiss citizens and be prepared to show proof of your accommodation (your travel documents from us), proof of insurance cover for your trip and to be able to prove that you have enough funds for your trip (as a guide, the minimum amount being 65 euro/day).

Find other key points regarding Brexit and Travelling to France here.

SECTION 3 - FAQ – YOUR HOLIDAY AND THE BOOKING PROCESS

Q16. How long can I take out an option on an apartment/chalet/hotel for?

A. You can hold options for up to 24 hours on selected accommodation. The option will expire if we do not receive confirmation from you within this time. Options can be held via email and telephone, however we recommend calling our team on 023 9283 9310 to secure your option straight away. A member of our team will confirm to you that the accommodation has been held and let you know when it will expire.

Q17. Can I make any special requests?

A. Yes of course but please advise us at the time of booking of any special requests, which will be communicated to our French partners. All special requests will be noted, but cannot be guaranteed. Cots, TV, telephone lines, bath towels hire, cleaning kit, end of stay cleaning and meal plans are some of the options which can be arranged at some accommodation (when not included in the basic package). Please enquire for the availability of these for your chosen accommodation by calling 023 9283 9310 or emailing your request to reservations@peakretreats.co.uk

Q18. Do you need to be advised of any special needs within the party?

A. We are happy to advise and assist elderly, special needs or disabled customers choose a suitable holiday. Clients with mobility problems are strongly advised to enquire about self-catering accommodation and hotels before booking, as many have steps, steep stairs, narrow doors and awkward corners. Our team will advise you of the most suitable accommodation.

Q19. When will I receive an invoice?

A. Once you have made your booking and paid a 25% deposit, a confirmation/invoice will usually follow within 7 days. It details what has been reserved, the cost of your holiday, and the date by which the balance is payable.

When you make your booking you must accept the terms of these booking conditions, on behalf of all your party and pay a deposit as detailed in How to book your holiday. A contract will exist only when we issue our confirmation invoice. We strongly suggest that you do not make independent arrangements linked to the accommodation, such as flights until then. It is important that you check all your details shown on the confirmation invoice carefully to ensure they are correct as this forms the basis of the contract. Any discrepancies should be brought to our attention within 7 days of issue otherwise the details shown on the confirmation invoice will be presumed to be correct.

Q20. When is the balance for my holiday due?

A. The balance of your holiday is due no later than 10 weeks prior to departure. If the booking is made less than 10 weeks prior to departure, the total cost of the holiday is payable immediately. We do not issue payment reminders but please note that any holiday which is not paid for by the balance due date may be cancelled without further notice and cancellation charges apply.

Q21. How can I pay the balance?

A. You can pay online in our client area, you'll just need your booking reference and the booking lead name. The balance can also be paid Visa, Mastercard or any debit card such as Maestro or Delta. Commercial card payments will incur a 1.85% charge in respect of all transactions. You can also pay by bank transfer. To help combat fraud, we recommend that you call us before making payment via bank transfer in order to verify our bank details. Please also ensure that when you input our details to make the payment, the account name check that your bank performs shows that the name matches with the account numbers we have provided. Our account is held in the name of Peak Retreats Limited.

Unfortunately, we are unable to accept payment via American Express (AMEX) at this time.

Q22. When will I receive my tickets?

A. Your travel documents will be sent to you two weeks prior to your departure. These will include suggested route itinerary, accommodation vouchers with directions, ferry or Eurotunnel LeShuttle tickets, resort information and where applicable, ski hire, ski school, lift pass vouchers and hotel voucher.

Q23. Do you charge extra for booking via telephone?

Unlike some well known holiday companies, we do not charge you extra for making telephone bookings. We actually feel it is important we talk to you to fully understand your requirements and to advise you of the most suitable options. You can also visit our offices during office hours to discuss your requirements and your booking.

SECTION 4 - FAQ – Your holiday and accommodation

Q24. When can we get into the apartment/chalet and when do we have to leave?

A. Arrival day is Saturday unless otherwise arranged/stated. Your accommodation will generally be ready for you to arrive between 5pm and 7pm and you are usually requested to leave by 10am. In case of planned later arrival you need to let us know in advance. If delayed on route, you must call the accommodation reception or the owner directly to inform them in advance. Chalets' owners or their representative will normally hand the keys directly to guests on arrival, unless otherwise indicated.

Q25. Are bed linen and towels included?

A. Bed linen and towels are normally provided for apartment residences but this is specified within each apartment description. Some may be charged at a supplement and in this case must be requested through us at least two weeks in advance so that we can advise the accommodation supplier. For chalets linen and towels can normally be hired locally and this is something we will arrange for you and again this must be done in advance. Bed linen and towels will be available to collect from reception for apartment residences and from the caretaker for privately owned properties. Beds are generally not made for you unless otherwise stated or unless an additional fee (where applicable) has been paid. You will be issued with bed linen packs by reception when you check-in. If you arrive after reception closing time and you have called them on the day prior to their closing time to advise as requested, the packs will normally be put in the apartment (you may want to reconfirm this when you speak to them on the day). At a number of our featured residences ‘beds made on arrival’ can be added at an optional cost. Please check the relevant accommodation description for this. In most residences at the end of your stay beds need to be stripped and the bed linen and towels should be left in a pile within the apartment or handed back to reception – the correct procedure will be advised to you by the residence staff.

Q26. End of stay cleaning

A. End of stay cleaning is not included with self-catering unless otherwise specified in each accommodation description and cleaning products are not normally provided. You can choose to do this yourself or pay a supplement in most resorts - this will be detailed in the description. In any case properties must be left clean for the next occupants. If this is not done, money will be deducted from your deposit. When end-of-stay cleaning is included or when optional end-of-stay-cleaning is paid for it never includes the kitchen area so the fridge still needs totally emptying, all the dishes need to be cleaned, the dishwasher needs to be emptied and the bins need to be taken out. In most residences beds need to be stripped and the bed linen and towels should be left where indicated by the accommodation staff.

Q27. How do breakage deposits work?

A. Breakage deposits are requested with all self-catering accommodation. Please refer to the specific accommodation description for details.
Breakage deposit are normally dealt with when you check-in at the accommodation. For most Residences and Hotels a credit/debit card imprint (ie. no money is actually taken from card) will be taken for the specified amount. For certain accommodation and particularly all the privately owned accommodation you will need to provide this in other ways (eg. cash, cheque) and this will be specified to you before travel. Breakage deposits are designed to cover the cost of any damage you may cause to the accommodation or the cost of any item that may need to be replaced. It is also designed to cover any cleaning issue (ie. if end-of-stay cleaning was not included in the price and you did not take the optional cleaning service and you did not leave the accommodation in the state it was found then a cleaning charge will be levied by the accommodation provider).
All self-catering accommodation have an inventory list which will either be handed to you on arrival or will be already in the accommodation (often displayed in kitchen cupboards). All accommodation are checked between lets but it is just not always possible for the local staff to spot everything immediately. If you notice anything missing/broken upon arrival you should report it as soon as possible to the reception/caretaker/owner of the accommodation. This is best done verbally but sometimes they may have maintenance forms that you hand back too. You generally have a maximum of 24 hours to do so. Anything that is not reported within the stated time and that is found upon your departure will be deemed to be your responsibility and will generally lead to deductions from your deposit. If you break anything during your stay you should report it immediately and repairs will be carried out as soon as reasonably possible or a replacement will be sought. Generally you won’t be charged for a broken glass or missing tea spoon and it will always work in your favour to report it. As the deposits are held by the accommodation providers themselves Peak Retreats cannot become directly involved in situations or dispute that may occur although we will always provide assistance for speedy resolution.

Q28. What will be in the apartments/chalets when we arrive?

A. Most of our residences were built within the last few years and the apartments/chalets are all fitted and furnished to a very good standard of comfort and convenience and are fully equipped for basic holiday needs but we recommend that you take some basics with you such as tea towels, salt & pepper, coffee, tea etc and toilet roll. You will be able to buy all these things in resort but the local supermarkets are more expensive than those in the valley so it's a good idea to stop on the way if you can.

Q29. Do all apartments and chalets have comfy sofas?

A. In all our apartments, and even those in our 4-star luxury selection, the living areas are generally designed to be used as additional sleeping areas. As a result there is likely to be a maximum of one or two sofas in even the largest apartments and these will be convertible sofa beds rather than the types of sofas you would usually have at home. Our individual privately owned apartments and chalets generally have more comfortable, homely sofas.

Q30. Do all apartments offer full home comforts?

A. Apartments in residences are designed for the rental market so they will be functional but they will not offer full home comforts. The kitchenettes for instance will generally be compact and may only have equipment suitable for basic cooking rather the full range that you may have at home (eg. no proper oven unless otherwise stated).

Our individual privately owned apartments generally have far more extensive facilities and equipment, particularly in the kitchen area. Please note that TV (when listed) generally means a television with only French terrestrial channels unless ‘satellite TV’ is indicated. In this later case the number of English language channels may be limited to news channels such as CNN & BBC World and other freely available international channels like maybe Eurosport anyhow. Most TVs will allow connection to a DVD via SCART socket but please bear in mind that the French standard is SECAM whereas it is normally PAL in the UK. Unless one of the apparatus has dual PAL/SECAM capability you will normally only get a black & white picture. Unfortunately, we are unable to check TV specs for any of our accommodation.

Q31. What is an alcove or cabin?

A. A separate sleeping area that is normally off of the living room or in the entrance hall, but has generally no door or window. Usually with bunk beds.

Q32. What do I do if I have a problem with the accommodation?

All our featured accommodation is checked after previous clients’ departure and therefore should be as you would expect it on arrival. Like with anything issues can of course arise on occasion eg. the cleaning team missed something or there is something broken that was not spotted.
As explained in our ‘Booking Conditions’ and in the various information that we send clients prior to their departure, it is absolutely essential that any issue is reported with reception/caretaker/owner of the accommodation immediately (ie. as soon as you enter the accommodation and notice anything). This is best done verbally but sometimes they may have maintenance forms that you hand back too. They manage the accommodation and they will have the resources to address any concern – it is simply part of their duties. As you can imagine our main concern is that any issue that may arise is resolved as quickly as possible. If for some reason the problem is still not resolved within a reasonable time after it has been reported locally you should then contact us in the UK at the earliest opportunity. Obviously, if issues are not reported to anyone they won’t get resolved and post holiday feedback will not achieve anything other than to bring the issue to management attention for the benefit of future clients.

Q33. What is a mezzanine?

A. A mezzanine is an open plan (sometimes closed off) bedroom above the lounge, usually accessed by means of a loft ladder or steep staircase. These bedrooms are generally not recommended for young children or the elderly.

Q34. Dogs and other pets

A. Dogs and other pets are only allowed at certain accommodation (generally apartments). It is essential that you check with us beforehand in any case. Otherwise please assume that dogs and other pets are not allowed in the accommodation and cannot be brought under any circumstances. When animals are allowed there may be a charge for this.

Q35. Fitness rooms and other shared facilities

A. Fitness rooms in residences are not full blown gym or gymnasium. They are designed for occasional/casual use (obviously the emphasis is on the skiing side of the holiday; the facilities are designed as an addition) so have limited equipment and are usually fairly small. There may be some small changes to the shared facilities at your accommodation due to local coronavirus restrictions.

Q36. What do you call ski-in ski-out or doorstep skiing?

A. This denotes that you should be able to ski to or from 50 metres of the accommodation. This is obviously weather permitting. When a residence is made-up of several chalets some chalets may be further away from the slopes and therefore this definition applies to the overall residence rather than to each individual chalet.

Q37. Swimming pools in France; what do I wear and what is the temperature?

A. The French Government’s Agence Regionale de Santé stipulates that for health & safety reasons pool temperatures should be between 25-27c for indoor pools and 24c for outdoor pools. This could mean that the water seems a little colder than what you may be used to in the UK. Please note that in France it is public swimming pool’s health & safety policy that swimming trunks are compulsory in the swimming pool, swimming shorts or similar are prohibited. Many residences and hotels with pools have a similar policy but that said sometimes the rules are not enforced as strictly in this type of pools so you could take both! Residence & hotel pools are not always open all day or every day, please check opening hours on arrival. Please note, that as it is not a legal requirement in France some of the swimming pools do not have depth markers and equally there will be no life guards on duty at accommodation pools.

Q38. WiFi in residences

A. Normally unless we state so wireless internet will only work in the vicinity of the reception area ie. You won't be able to get a connection from within your apartment. In those instances, we will normally state "wi-fi at reception" or similar. If it is possible to get a connection from within each individual apartment we will normally say so. Normally we will indicate what charges are when it is payable. Connection in apartments are normally limited to one concurrent device with extra charges for subsequent devices but this will be detailed in each accommodation description. Please note that reception can be intermittent and slow at times so you can't always 100% rely on it. If we don't mention wi-fi at all within the description it normally means there isn't one at the accommodation.

Q39. Can I be guaranteed a non-smoking apartment or room?

A. Although most residences and hotels try to discourage smoking on their premises, it is clearly impossible to prevent people smoking in their apartments or rooms. When apartments or hotel rooms are checked between two sets of guests, the accommodation staff will always aim to eradicate any such odour but if somehow it wasn’t totally the case please report this immediately to the accommodation staff on arrival. There is currently no legislation in France that prohibits smoking in holiday accommodation (except in the public areas) or which makes holiday accommodation providers offer dedicated rooms for smokers and others smoke free but our accommodation providers will always encourage a respectful attitude by all guests.

Q40. Do apartments have baths or showers?

A. Some apartments have baths, others have showers; some apartments have both a bath and a shower, but this will be detailed in the particular accommodation description on our website. When we refer to a shower room, this means that there is just a shower. In the case of bathrooms we will generally state ‘Bathroom with bath’ when there is a bath. Please note that in France not all baths have a shower attachment or even ashower screen. In some residences not all apartments within the same type are identical(so some may have a shower whilst others may have a bath) but the detailed description will state this. Where different configurations are described, we can make a request for a particular type but please note that we are unable to give any confirmation of this (please refer to our paragraph about special requests).

SECTION 5 - FAQ – Your holiday and the resort

Q41. Which resorts are suitable for beginners/intermediates/advanced skiers or snowboarders?

A. Please see our resort selector designed to help you choose the right resort to match your own specifications.

Q42. Can I pre-book ski passes and ski school?

A. Ski passes, ski school and equipment hire are all pre-bookable. You can see an overview of prices and information by viewing here for ski extras. However for more detailed information please refer to individual resort pages. Alternatively are team are here to help with your every enquiry so you can call us on 023 9283 9310 or email us at reservations@peakretreats.co.uk to request further details.

Q43. What are the facilities for children?

A. Each ski resort has dedicated facilities for children, such as ski kindergartens (usually 3-6 years old) and crèches (usually from 6 months). We can normally pre-book the kindergarten but for crèches you have to book direct - we will provide you all the necessary details. Please see the individual resort pages for more information or view here to see our ‘Family Skiing’ page. Some resorts also qualify for the ‘Famille Plus’ label.

Q44. What clothing do you recommend I should pack for skiing/snowboarding?

A. Tops – A heavyweight fleece or wool sweater and a light/medium-weight, synthetic long underwear shirt. A down or synthetic fill jacket with hood (waterproof, breathable), must fit comfortably over your sweater.
Bottoms – Waterproof / breathable lined ski trousers
Footwear – Wool or poly socks (medium-heavy thickness). Walking boots (waterproof) to be able to walk in snow
Hand wear – Wool or fleece mittens. Ski over mitts or gloves
Head gear – A helmet, a wool or fleece hat. A pair of good sunglasses.

Q45. Do you have reps in resorts?

A. We don’t employ local representatives, as we do not feel that you will find them necessary. Instead, we rely on our French partners to ensure that your stay is as enjoyable as it should be. We also provide all clients with an emergency out of office hours number.

Q46. Do ski resorts have building work?

A. Alpine ski resorts do expand and change, in the same way as all towns and cities. Undoubtedly the nuisance and inconvenience of building works seem worse when you are on holiday. As we don’t have staff in resorts we rely on our inspection visits and particularly on our suppliers to keep us informed about any kind building works. Whilst building work is something we have no control over, we will do our utmost to tell you about any significant work that we are made aware of and which is going on near your accommodation. We will aim to do this, if there is time before you start your holiday.

Q47. What about the energy crisis?

A: In light of the current energy crisis facing all countries, all businesses in France have been asked by the French Government to cut their electricity consumption by 10% this year (2023). As you can imagine this is quite difficult to achieve as there are not many levers for businesses that will look after you during your holiday to tweak. Examples of areas that could see energy consumption reduction are for instance pools, that could be set at slightly lower temperatures, slightly lower heating temperatures within accommodation, restaurants, marginally slower ski lifts, night skiing cut down.

SECTION 6 - FAQ – Your holiday and financial protection

Q48. Is my money safe when booking with you?

A. When booking a holiday package with Peak Retreats you can be rest assured that you are arranging your holiday with an ABTA bonded company. Peak Retreats is bonded with ABTA for holiday packages.

Peak Retreats is bonded with ABTA but is not required to hold an ATOL licence run by the CAA as these are only for operators who offer flight inclusive packages, which we don't offer.

Q49. Is Peak Retreats ATOL protected?

A. No and the simple reason for this is that ATOL protection from the CAA only covers flight/air based holiday packages. Peak Retreats does not organise flights and therefore it simply cannot be covered by an ATOL. It is for this reason that we are fully bonded with ABTA instead.
If you ever decide to buy a package holiday including a flight do however ensure that you are buying from a company that has an ATOL and that you are issued with a dedicated ATOL receipt with your holiday invoice confirming the name and ATOL number of the company.
More details on www.caa.co.uk

SECTION 7 - FAQ – Your holiday and important travel information

Q50. Can I travel whilst pregnant?

A. Should a member of your party become pregnant prior to your date of departure, please inform us immediately. We will not be held responsible if you do not inform us and the ferry operator then refuses your carriage. At present the following operators have no restrictions on the carriage of pregnant women but a certificate of fitness to travel will be required from your Doctor.

Airlines and rail companies may also have restrictions on carrying women who are pregnant. We therefore strongly advise you to contact your transport provider prior to making a booking with us or if you have already booked, as soon as you discover that you are pregnant. We also recommend that you discuss your travel plans with your doctor or mid-wife.