The attention of passengers and persons responsible for vehicles is drawn to the general conditions applicable to maritime transport provided by the SMN.
The SMN is a limited company with capital of Euro 800,000 - Siren no. 420 332 967 00017 - APE code 611 A - RCS LORIENT.
The SMN complies with all the provisions of the Code on International Safety Management for Shipping and the Prevention of Pollution (ISM code).

 1  Transport on any of our company's ships is subject to the laws and decrees in force governing shipping (laws of 18 June 1966 amended by the laws of 21 December 1979 and 23 December 1986 and the decrees relating to them) and more generally to these general conditions.

 2  By agreeing to travel on these ships and purchasing a ticket to make a journey or to ship merchandise, the passenger or the shipper is accepting all the conditions of carriage on his/her own behalf and on behalf of his/her heirs or beneficiaries. The acceptance also covers all persons travelling with him/her, including children and all persons travelling under the protection, the custody or the supervision of the said passenger and their insurers.

 3  Bookings*: bookings can be made for passengers and vehicles up to 15 minutes before departure.
Bookings made up to the day before departure are subject to a booking fee.
IMPORTANT: a booking is not final until the full amount of the cost of the ticket and the booking fee have been paid within the following periods: either 20 days after the date of booking for bookings made more than 20 days before the date of travel or by the day before departure for bookings made less than 20 days before the date of travel. Bookings made and not paid for within the required periods will be cancelled.
Bookings made at our ticket offices on the day of departure, for both passengers and vehicles, are for immediate use. They do not incur payment of a booking fee.

*island residents and their vehicles are subject to special conditions of booking and payment.

 4  Amendments and cancellations: the ticket price is established for all circumstances. However, amendments or cancellations may be made subject to the following conditions:

Travellers not resident on the islands

A booking may be AMENDED depending on availability and subject to the following conditions:

Individual passengers
  • Up to one hour before departure on payment of a booking fee.
  • Less than one hour before departure and after, up to a limit of thirty days after the date of the crossing, on payment of an amendment fee.


    • If a passenger fails to arrive in time for boarding, if this late arrival is due to exceptional circumstances and subject to the notification and approval of the SMN, the booking may be changed for a sailing on the same day or the next day, depending on availability, on payment of a booking fee.

    Vehicles
  • Up to two days before departure, on payment of a new booking fee.
  • The day before and the actual day of departure up to one hour before departure and exclusively at our ticket offices:

    • 1° For a sailing on another date, on payment of an amendment fee.
    2° For a sailing the next day or the same day, on payment of a booking fee.
    Less than one hour before departure, no amendments will be possible.
    Booking and amendment charges are non-refundable.
    Tickets cannot be returned or exchanged in the event of failure to arrive in time for boarding. However, if it is the result of exceptional circumstances and subject to the notification and approval of the SMN, the booking may be changed for a sailing on the same day or the next day, depending on availability, on payment of a booking fee.

    Groups of over 20 people
    Amendment to the date or time of departure:
  • Up to 21 days before the date of departure, free of charge.
  • Less than 21 days before the date of departure, on payment of an amendment fee for each traveller and for each route changed.
  • On the date of departure, for a sailing on the same day, on payment of an amendment fee for each traveller and for each route changed.

    • However, if it is due to exceptional circumstances and subject to the notification and approval of the SMN, the booking may be changed for a sailing on the same day, depending on availability, on payment of a booking fee.

    A booking may be CANCELLED subject to the following conditions:

    Individual passengers
    Booking and amendment fees are not refundable under any circumstances.
    Up to one hour before departure, the full price of the ticket can be refunded with the exception of any booking and amendment fees.
    Less than one hour before departure and beyond, up to a limit of thirty days after the date of departure, 75% of the price of the ticket will be refunded, with the exception of any booking and amendment fees, which are non-refundable.

    Vehicles
    Booking and amendment fees are not refundable under any circumstances.
    Up to two days before departure, the full price of the ticket can be refunded with the exception of any booking and amendment fees.
    The day before and up to one hour before departure, 75% of the price of the ticket will be refunded, with the exception of any booking and amendment fees which are non-refundable.
    Otherwise, no refunds will be permitted.

    Groups of over 20 people
  • Up to 21 days before the date of departure, free of charge.
  • Less than 21 days before the date of departure, up to two days before, the 30% deposit paid on booking will be retained.
  • The day before or the day of departure, or after, no refunds will be made. The booking will be payable in full.


    • Travellers resident on the islands

    A booking may be AMENDED or CANCELLED subject to the following conditions:

    Individual passengers
    A booked ticket may be amended, depending on availability, or cancelled, free of charge up to the time of departure.
    The price of the booked ticket will not be refunded if the passenger fails to arrive in time for boarding. However, it will be possible to amend it once only free of charge, exclusively at our ticket offices, for a sailing within three months.

    A booking may be AMENDED depending on availability subject to the following conditions:

    Vehicles
  • Up to one hour before departure, on payment of a booking fee.
  • Less than one hour before departure*, no amendments will be possible.

    • For an earlier departure during the day from the mainland, a booking may be amended free of charge up to 15 minutes before said earlier sailing. This is based on availability and is only available at our ticket offices.
    Bookings will be closed 15 minutes before sailing.
    Booking and amendment fees are non-refundable.
    Tickets cannot be returned or exchanged if the vehicle fails to arrive in time for boarding.
    However, if this is due to exceptional circumstances and subject to notification and approval by the SMN, the booking may be changed for a sailing on the same day or the next day, depending on availability, on payment of a booking fee.

    A booking may be CANCELLED subject to the following conditions:

    Vehicles:
    The booking fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. Up to one hour before departure*, a full refund will be made with the exception of the non-refundable booking fee. After that time, no refunds will be made.

    *To be accepted under these conditions, amendments or cancellations must be made during opening hours, either at the terminal ticket offices or using the telephone booking service.

     5  Loading / unloading: passengers and anyone responsible for a vehicle boarding the ship will lose any loading priority if he/she checks in for boarding after the correct time (namely 45 minutes before sailing for a vehicle and 20 minutes for passengers*), and will forfeit the right to take any action against the carrier for this reason. Drivers of vehicles must be ready to proceed with the loading or unloading of their vehicles when their turn comes. Any disruption of loading or unloading by a vehicle whose driver is not there and which delays sailing, will render the vehicle owner liable for any consequences of this delay.

    *These limits are shortened to 20 minutes for islanders' vehicles and 10 minutes for island passengers.

     6  Timetables: any amendment to the timetable or cancellation of a sailing due to events beyond the shipping company's control (force majeure, accident, or other) will result in the termination of the contract without compensation on either side. For this reason, the shipping company will not be liable for changes to routes, or diversions, or suspensions of services, or delays in the performance of the contract of carriage, or the consequences of the performance of the said contract which may result from damage, bad weather conditions, civil or foreign wars, total or partial strikes, coalitions of employers, workers, officers and sailors, or of any employees whether or not they are employed by SMN. The shipping company will not be liable for the consequences of these irregularities or the cancellation or suspension of services. The costs and risks of any stopovers and any consequences resulting from these events will be borne by the passengers.

     7  Tariffs and ticket inspection: passengers and anyone responsible for a vehicle must be in possession of a ticket at the correct tariff to be able to board. Anyone benefiting from special tariffs must present their entitlement to a reduction when purchasing the ticket and to the ticket inspector when boarding. If a delay is caused to enable the correct tariff to be charged, due to the non-presentation of a reduction entitlement and this prevents the passenger or vehicle from boarding within the period allowed, the shipping company will not be liable. The same provisions will apply as for any failure to arrive in time for boarding.

     8  Terms of payment: bookings can be made by telephone, Internet, Minitel or post. For telephone bookings, payment must be made by credit card at the time of booking. However, payment by cheque is acceptable, but must reach us within 20 days. If payment has not been received by our Booking Office by this deadline, the booking will not be confirmed and the company will not be liable.
    If the booking is made within 5 days of travel, which is not enough time to pay by cheque, it must be paid for by credit card. Otherwise, the ticket can be bought for immediate departure on day of sailing, subject to space availability.
    Island residents also benefit from a pre-payment option using "OPEN" tickets.
    Bookings made by island residents which have not been paid for on the telephone by credit card at the time of booking or by an "OPEN" ticket, must be paid for at our ticket office by 12 pm two days later, otherwise they will not be confirmed, and the company will not be liable. If this booking is made less than three days before departure it must have been paid for by the day before departure at the latest. Bookings not paid for within the required time will be cancelled and resold, once the payment deadline has passed.

     9  Transactions at the ticket offices: travel documents and change given at our ticket offices must be checked by passengers before leaving the office. No complaint regarding mistakes on the tickets sold or the amount of change given can be accepted thereafter. Passengers benefiting from a reduction must claim it before purchasing the tickets. No amendments will be possible once travel has been completed.
    Duplicates: a duplicate ticket may be issued solely on presentation of an official notification of theft issued by the police and received by us by the day before departure. No duplicates will be issued in the event of loss or destruction of tickets.

     10  Safety on board: passengers are subject to the ship's regulations under the Captain's authority. The shipping company, represented by its personnel, in particular the Captain of the ship, may prohibit a passenger from boarding the ship if his/her behaviour or attitude are incompatible with the safety of the passengers or the vessel, or are liable to pose a danger to public order. Under these circumstances, no refund or exchange of ticket will be allowed.
    Animals travel under the responsibility of their owners, who must take all necessary measures to prevent accidents. Dogs must be muzzled if necessary and kept on a lead at all times. Cats must travel in a suitable basket. The shipping company, represented by its personnel, in particular the Captain of the ship, may prohibit an animal from being brought on board if it could pose a danger to passengers. However, if the animal is allowed on board, the passenger remains fully liable in the event of attacks or injury to persons or property by it. Under these circumstances, no refund or exchange of ticket will be allowed.
    Passengers will be liable for any damage caused to the ship or its fittings by them or by animals in their care. They will be liable for all damage caused, including any claims for damages which may be made by the shipping company or any third parties involved.

     11  Damage to persons and property (tourist vehicles or luggage checked in): liability for damage caused during loading or disloading or during the crossing will be subject to the limits imposed by the laws and regulations governing maritime transport (in this case French law No. 66-420 of 18 June 1966 amended by law No. 86-1292 of 23 December 1988). The shipping company shall not be liable for any other luggage, hand or other, of which it was not notified and which does not form part of the contract of carriage.

     12  Transport of dangerous goods: the transport of dangerous goods on passenger ships is strictly regulated. SMN does not permit the transport of any dangerous goods in tourist vehicles other than the petrol or diesel held in the tanks fitted by the manufacturer.
    Persons responsible for a lorry must complete a declaration stating whether or not they are transporting dangerous goods. The transport of certain dangerous goods in utility vehicles is permitted in limited quantities and subject to certain packing and storage conditions.

     13  The provisions of these general conditions of carriage are applicable in the event of the use of a replacement ship which is chartered by SMN from another company.

     14  Any dispute arising from the application of these general conditions of carriage is subject to the sole jurisdiction of the Commercial Court of Lorient.