Terms of engagement

These terms govern the engagement of Haut Neige SA, a company registered in Geneva, Switzerland, by a client for the management of a winter season or part of one.

They apply alongside the season document — the single written proposal that sets out your house, dates, party, staff and figure. Where the two differ, the season document governs.

Haut Neige SA acts as your agent in arranging chalets, guiding, instruction, staff, tables, equipment and movement. Contracts for those services are formed between you and the supplier unless the season document states otherwise.

We select suppliers carefully, retain many of them across the whole season, and hold them to written standards. We are responsible for the care we take in that selection and in the management of your file.

• Every file is quoted per season. There is no rate card.
• We quote a single figure in writing. Once the season document is signed, that figure does not move for the season, save for changes you request.
• A season retainer is payable on signature and secures your manager and your weeks.
• Balance payments fall due on the schedule set out in the season document. Where third-party deposits are non-refundable, the season document says so before you sign.

• Changes requested before 1 October are accommodated wherever suppliers allow, at cost.
• Cancellation terms follow the underlying chalet and supplier contracts and are set out in full in your season document.
• The season retainer is non-refundable once a manager has been assigned to your file.
• Where we cancel because we cannot deliver what we contracted to, sums paid to us are returned in full.

Skiing, ski touring, heli-skiing and off-piste travel carry inherent risk that cannot be removed by any amount of arrangement. Guides and instructors engaged through Haut Neige SA are qualified professionals and their judgement on the mountain is final.

Where a guide declines to ski a line, a lift is closed, or the snowpack is unsafe, the day will be changed. No refund is due for terrain that could not be skied safely, and we will not press a supplier to take a risk on your behalf.

Clients are required to carry insurance covering mountain rescue, helicopter evacuation and repatriation. We will not begin a season without written confirmation of it.

Snowfall, wind, avalanche risk, lift closure, road closure, airport closure and airspace restriction are outside our control. We will rebuild the affected part of the week at no additional management fee, but we cannot refund third-party costs already committed.

Neither party is liable for failure to perform caused by an event beyond reasonable control, including extreme weather, natural hazard, industrial action, epidemic or governmental restriction.

• Staff placed by Haut Neige SA are employed either by us or by you, as the season document specifies.
• Where we employ them, Swiss or French payroll, permits, insurance and employment obligations are ours.
• Staff sign confidentiality undertakings covering everything they see inside a client's home.
• Clients agree not to engage a member of staff placed by Haut Neige SA directly, for twelve months following the end of the season, without written agreement.

Nothing in these terms limits liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, or for fraud.

Subject to that, our aggregate liability in respect of any season is limited to the management fees paid to Haut Neige SA for that season. We are not liable for indirect or consequential loss.

We do not name clients, publish photographs of client houses, or confirm to any third party that a person is a client of the office. Client testimonials on this site are published anonymously and with written permission.

These terms are governed by Swiss law. The courts of Geneva have exclusive jurisdiction, save that we may bring proceedings in the courts where a client is resident where that is necessary to enforce payment.