Terms & conditions

Updated October 2026 to align with the current hire contract. For individual bookings, the signed hire contract prevails over these terms where there is any inconsistency.

General

In general the terms of guest contracts have been laid out on the website http://www.chateau-de-sainte-croix.com and in subsequent correspondence between the parties and representatives of the owners. Château de Sainte Croix is as described therein.

Château de Sainte Croix is let as accommodation. Weddings and other events must be conducted lawfully and with normal respect to neighbours. The Château is fit for purpose. All bookings are taken in good faith.

Bookings automatically have a check-in time of 16h and a check-out time of 10h unless otherwise agreed in writing. A late-checkout fee may be incurred if guests are still on site after this time unless previously arranged with the Château’s manager. Additional fees are applied for early and late check-ins when agreed in advance, at the manager’s discretion.

Arrival and departure

Check-in is from 4:00 PM on the first day of the booking.

Departure is by 10:00 AM on the final day of the booking.

Early check-in or late checkout is permitted only where agreed in writing in advance, and may be subject to an agreed fee.

The Estate must be left clean and tidy.

Pre-arrival form

The pre-arrival form must be completed at least two weeks before the group’s arrival at the Château and returned by email to contact@chateau-de-sainte-croix.com.

What is included

Linen, towels, tourist tax, VAT and the end-of-stay cleaning fee are included in the rental price. The rental price is the venue and accommodation hire price only. Catering, bar services, wedding planning, styling, additional staffing, hired items, transport, tableware and any other additional services are separate and are not included unless expressly agreed in writing. All services must be fully paid for before the wedding day.

Payment

A 35% deposit is required to secure a booking. Contracts will only be valid once the deposit is received unless otherwise agreed in writing. The deposit is non-refundable but transferable, subject to the owner’s written agreement to the proposed transfer and any reasonable administrative requirements.

The balance is due eight weeks before arrival at the Château. Confirmation of each payment should be sent to contact@chateau-de-sainte-croix.com in order to receive a receipt.

Failure to make a payment by its due date is a material breach and may entitle the owners to suspend performance or cancel the booking in accordance with these terms and applicable law.

Security deposit

A security deposit (chèque de caution) of €5,000.00 is required to be sent by bank transfer at least two weeks before the group’s arrival at the Château. VAT does not apply to the security deposit.

The security deposit will be returned in full within four weeks by bank transfer if the Château is left in a satisfactory state and no amount is properly due.

Any deduction shall be proportionate and limited to actual, substantiated losses or costs, and the owners will provide reasonable supporting information for any deduction on request. Deductions may include:

damage, breakages or loss beyond ordinary wear and tear, based on the reasonable cost of repair or replacement;

additional cleaning where the Château is not left clean and tidy, including excessive spillages, stains, residues or specialist floor cleaning;

cleaning or replacement of excessively stained or ruined linen and towels;

reasonable and substantiated noise-related complaints from the neighbourhood;

breaches of the pool-use rules, including damage to the pool cover or alarm; and

unpaid additional services that were separately agreed and remain due after a reasonable opportunity to pay.

The security deposit is not subject to automatic forfeiture.

Cleaning, waste and departure condition

Standard end-of-stay cleaning is included in the venue hire. It covers bedrooms, bathrooms, communal areas, the kitchen and event spaces; stripping used bed linen; collecting used towels; and general tidying and surface cleaning throughout the Estate.

The group must wash up, replace moved items, empty fridges and freezers, and leave the Château clean and tidy. Excessive spillages, stains or residues; ruined linen or towels; specialist floor cleaning or repairs; and cleaning outside the standard scope are chargeable and may be deducted from the security deposit.

It is the group’s responsibility to ensure that any relevant areas are prepared and made suitable for their caterers and other suppliers, for example by providing sufficient fridge space and clean worktops in the kitchens. Failure to do so may result in an additional cleaning fee. The group must also empty all bins and remove any rubbish from the estate.

Any rental items ordered by the group, including marquees and furniture, must be dropped off after the group’s check-in time and collected by the relevant suppliers before the group’s check-out time, or by prior arrangement with the owners.

The Château provides clearly labelled boxes for three waste streams: glass, recycling (paper and plastic) and general waste. The group must sort waste correctly and must not mix the streams. The Château will empty the boxes the morning after the wedding or event and again on departure, and will handle trips to the déchetterie. External caterers are responsible for waste from catered meals. Where in-house planning is used, the Château will sort and recycle bottles as part of its standard service.

Bedrooms and on-site facilities

For safety and fire purposes, only the 12 designated bedrooms and one apartment may be used for sleeping. No person may sleep in any other area unless expressly agreed in writing in advance by the owners.

Guests are expected to arrange their own supply of ice for the duration of their stay. A large chest freezer is available for ice storage.

The on-site facilities comprise a walk-in fridge approximately 1.5m x 1.5m, with internal shelving; two commercial wine fridges; a wash-up room approximately 5m x 3m, with a small commercial dishwasher and sink, which must remain available during service for waiting and pot-wash staff; a catering kitchen approximately 7m x 3m; a stainless counter 2.5m x 0.5m; a stainless counter 1.5m x 0.5m; a stainless table 1m x 1m; a stainless sink and drainer; and a domestic American-style fridge freezer.

All included items must be washed and returned to the correct locations. The availability of on-site facilities does not mean that catering, staffing, tableware or additional services are included in the rental price.

House rules and conditions of use

The following rules apply throughout the hire period and are contractual conditions of use of the Estate. The group must communicate them to all guests, suppliers and service providers.

Noise and music

Outdoor music and amplified sound must stop by 10:00 PM, and music must move indoors at that time. This includes hired PA systems, bands, musicians and DJ sets. Live music and DJ sets indoors must finish by 1:00 AM. The business reserves the right to change restrictions as necessary in accordance with the Mairie and local legislation.

Although guests are welcome to enjoy a pool party on a Sunday, Sundays in France are considered quiet days. Music by the pool must therefore be kept at a level where it cannot be heard by neighbours. If this is not respected, guests may be asked to turn the music off altogether.

Guests must be considerate of neighbours and the local village, including when leaving the Estate late at night.

Pool and grounds

The pool must not be used on the wedding day after 8:00 PM. No glass is permitted in the lower pool area; glassware is only permitted in the upper pool area. The pool must not be used under the excessive influence of alcohol. Children must be accompanied at all times, and use of the pool is at the group’s own risk. The pool cover must not be used, and the pool alarm must be used appropriately. Damage to the pool cover or alarm may be deducted from the security deposit.

Fireworks and candles

Fireworks and other incendiary devices are not permitted.

Candles may only be used outdoors. Battery tealights are welcome. Fireplaces must not be used.

Furniture and equipment

It is the group’s responsibility to ensure that everything is returned to its original Base Camp location on departure, unless otherwise agreed by prior arrangement with the owners. Furnishings and equipment must be left as found, and all damage, breakages and losses must be reported immediately.

The stretch tent is included in bookings free of charge. If furniture is required to be moved beneath it and additional staff are needed, an additional fee applies.

Responsible person / planner

A wedding planner, coordinator or designated “personne responsable” must sign an agreement with the owners and remain on site on the event day until the event has finished and guests have left the party area, normally the Coach House and Stables. The responsible person must remain present and contactable at all times while on site.

Event documentation and escalation

The group must share relevant contracts and documentation with the planner or coordinator before arrival. If an issue arises during an event managed by an external planner, the person in charge should contact the owners to resolve it.

Service providers

All services must be fully paid for before the wedding day. Service providers must not drink alcohol while on site.

Conduct at the Château

All guests must treat Château staff in a kind and considerate manner. Abuse and harassment are not tolerated and may result in refusal of service or eviction. The use or possession of illegal drugs or any other illegal items within the Château or its grounds will result in the responsible person or persons being told to leave.

Damage, liability and insurance

The parties will be responsible for damage to the premises, or loss of or damage to any items in the premises including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, floor coverings, soft furnishings, furniture and fittings, kitchen utensils, crockery, glassware and cutlery, and they undertake to pay the reasonable cost of replacement or repair of any such items damaged or lost, less any relevant amount properly withheld from the security deposit. This does not apply to ordinary wear and tear.

All damage, breakages or losses are to be reported to the agent immediately. All furnishings and equipment must be left in the premises as originally found, in their original locations.

The group is not liable for damage caused solely by an independent contractor or supplier engaged by them where that contractor or supplier operates under its own insurance and is not under the direct supervision or control of the group. This does not limit the owners’ right to pursue the contractor or supplier directly, or the group where the group is otherwise responsible.

The owners are not responsible for damage caused by the negligence or recklessness of any guests.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by the owners’ negligence, for damage caused by the owners’ negligence or breach of statutory duty resulting in unsafe premises, or for loss or damage arising from the owners’ breach of contract. Subject to those matters, no liability is accepted by the owners or their agents for any injury, debt, damage, loss, delay, expense or inconvenience caused directly or indirectly by events beyond the reasonable control of the owners or their agents, including force majeure, natural disaster, war, terrorism, epidemic, pandemic, utility failure or third-party supplier failure.

Groups must understand that they take full legal responsibility for any damage caused to Château de Sainte Croix and its contents not arising from ordinary wear and tear. The group is responsible for arranging any insurance they consider appropriate, including wedding cancellation insurance and cover for hired items.

Repairs, access and service or equipment failure

The group must report any repair, maintenance or service issue promptly. Any repairs, maintenance or service reported and requested by guests, and any deemed necessary by the owners or their agents, will be effected as soon as practicable. The owners or their agents will use reasonable efforts to effect necessary repairs or maintenance as soon as practicable.

Guests are required to allow repair and/or service personnel to enter the premises during reasonable hours, by arrangement unless an emergency situation could exist or arise, for the purpose of conducting any repairs, maintenance or service. Guests requesting a service call which is subsequently found not to be required will be charged the applicable service call-out fee.

All parties understand that any services provided on the Château estate, except cleaning, are the subject of separate contracts with the service providers.

For a minor or transient issue that does not materially affect the wedding, accommodation or enjoyment of the Estate, no compensation is payable provided the owners have made reasonable efforts to resolve it. Where a major failure of services or equipment, including water, electricity, heating or key wedding infrastructure, materially and substantially affects the wedding day, accommodation or intended use of the Estate, and is due to third-party failure such as an electrical outage affecting the whole village, the group may claim on their own insurance. If the fault lies directly with the Château, the owners will always endeavour to be fair and reasonable in compensating the client, and the parties will negotiate in good faith an appropriate compensation mechanism proportionate to the disruption.

Cancellation policy

In typical circumstances, the deposit for the hire of the Château is non-refundable, unless exceptional circumstances arise and then a refund will be issued at the owners’ discretion.

Exceptional circumstances include, but are not limited to, death of the contracting parties, acts of God, riots, war, terrorist acts, epidemic, pandemic, natural catastrophes, fire, explosion, or generalised lack of availability of the premises for let.

If the owners are unable to provide the Estate for the booked period because the premises become unavailable, including because of fire, flood, structural unsuitability or another cause beyond the reasonable control of the parties, all monies paid by the group up to that point will be refunded in full. Beyond this, cancellation by the owners entitles the group to a full refund of all sums paid. The owners’ refund obligation is not limited solely to the initial deposit.

Accessibility

Please note that the Château is a historic building and cannot be adapted for accessible use. There are many uneven surfaces and steps around the estate. It is at the individual’s discretion to assess whether the Château is suitable for their requirements.

Base Camp inventory

The Base Camp locations are the locations where furniture and equipment will be found on arrival. It is the group’s responsibility to ensure that everything is returned to its original Base Camp location on departure, unless otherwise agreed by prior arrangement with the owners.

Swimming pool — 8 sun loungers; 5 parasols

Tree-lined drive — 5 wide wooden tables

Chapel — 20 white chairs

Garage — 70 cross-backed chairs; 8 folding round event tables; 60 white chairs; 10 wooden benches

Coach House — PA system and lighting available free of charge on request; breakout furniture

Stables — 7 narrow 12-foot-long tables with black edging, seating 12 per table; 60 cross-backed chairs

On arrival, the Château will be fully cleaned with beds made and stocked with toilet rolls, dishwasher tablets, bin bags and cleaning equipment for the booking period.

Furniture and equipment may be moved only with appropriate care and must be returned to the listed Base Camp location before checkout. Any damage, breakage or loss must be reported immediately.

Governing law

Any dispute under this contract and any claim made relating to the stay of the group or any one of them shall be resolved according to the laws of France and in the French legal system. The parties will first seek to resolve any dispute in good faith.

Contacts

Josie Batchelor, Reservations Manager — contact@chateau-de-sainte-croix.com | +44 7527 557716

Clients using an external planner should direct questions to their planner in the first instance. For an event issue managed by an external planner, the person in charge should use the specific number above.