Article 1: Organization
Art 1.A. Art 1.A. “The Destrier's Secret©” is a treasure hunt and sagacity game that will begin on March 15, 2026, with no time limit. It will end under one of the following conditions: (subject to the conditions set out below): When the cache’s content is unearthed by solving the final riddle. Or, when the game’s creator receives the final solution from a participant via the solution verification method (see Article 2), – Or in the event of exceptional force majeure, rendering the game’s continuation under the original conditions impossible such as the destruction of permanent clues, or the accidental discovery of the cache (see Article 3).
In such a case, the creator of the treasure hunt reserves the right either to terminate the hunt or modify it to ensure its continuation.
The launch date may be postponed by up to four months by the game’s creator in case of unforeseen difficulties.
Art 1.B. An optional and free solution verification method will be available for one year from the hunt’s launch date. Participants can submit their final solution for validation by the creator. If the solution is correct, the participant will be notified. The rules for this method will be specified on the launch date. The creator may extend this method beyond one year.
Art 1.C. The creator reserves the right to publish additional clues or answer public questions to assist participants in their quest.
Art 1.D. The object buried in mainland France is a “token” of the bronze sculpture “Horse restrained by a Groom”. It includes instructions for contacting the creator to claim victory. The token must be submitted to the creator.
Art 1.E. The riddle book may be either physical or digital, depending on the number of participants. If a physical book is chosen, additional information will be requested for delivery. The creator is not responsible for potential delivery delays, and no claims can be made by participants in such cases.
Art 1.F. Specific arrangements have been made by the creator to ensure the game’s continuation in the event of their death.
Article 2: Winner Determination
Art 2.A. The winner will be the participant who:
1) Possesses the final solution and optionally the cache’s content (required in the case of a cheater who claims to have the right solution while receiving an invalidation from the game's author),
Or
2) Possesses both the final solution and the cache’s content.
And
3) the winner will have provided their full identity and contact details to the author of the game via the email address contact@secretdestrier.com
Art 2.B. A participant with the final solution will take precedence over one who has the cache's content without the solution. However, a participant possessing the cache's content, with timestamped proof of discovery (e.g., photos, videos), and the final solution will take precedence over one with only the final solution (in this case, the time-stamped proof of the physical discovery must predate that of the final solution sent via the solution verification method).
Only one winner (or winning group) will be declared. The winner must not make any public or private statements regarding the win until authorized by the creator.
Article 3: Exceptional Force Majeure and Verification
The creator will verify the cache’s contents annually.
If the cache is missing during a check, the creator will make a public announcement. The individual possessing the cache will have two weeks from the announcement to come forward. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.
If the cache is accidentally discovered and the participant cannot explain the final solution, the creator reserves the right to either terminate or modify the hunt to ensure its continuation.
In the event of exceptional force majeure or serious unforeseeable difficulties
(such as accident, illness, etc.) occurring before the launch date of this treasure hunt, and making it impossible to proceed under appropriate conditions, the launch date may be postponed to a date set by the game’s author, which will be (more than four months later), or the treasure hunt may be cancelled.
In such cases, participants wishing to be refunded may submit a request.
Article 4: Prize Value and Delivery
The winner will receive a prize valued at €20,000 in gold (gold bar or gold ingots), and the bronze sculpture “Horse restrained by a Groom”, valued at approximately €1,500.
These prizes, accompanied by certificates of authenticity, will be delivered within six months of the winner’s designation. The winner is solely responsible for any taxes or duties related to their prize.
The winner must travel to the location specified by the creator to collect the prize, or the prize may be delivered through a specialized carrier, gold broker, bank, or similar intermediary. The winner will have a maximum of two years from being declared the winner to claim the prize. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of their claim.
Article 5: Liability
The creator guarantees that the cache is located on non-hazardous public land, not on private property or public-access private land.
The creator is not liable for any damage caused by participants or third parties, and is not responsible for accidents or injuries sustained by participants or third parties during the hunt.
The author of this treasure hunt cannot be held responsible for any accident, of any kind, suffered by a player during their participation in the game or by a third party.
Participants are responsible for conducting their searches lawfully and respecting property rights, including all third-party rights.
The creator declines all responsibility if a third party engages the responsibility of the participant, in particular if harm, damage or wrongful acts are committed by the participant during this game, of whatever nature and in whatever capacity.
Article 6: Entry & Conditions
This treasure hunt is open to any natural person, without restriction of nationality or place of residence, cumulatively meeting the following conditions:
Be at least 18 years of age at the time of participation;
Have a valid email address to ensure communication with the organizer;
Be in full legal capacity under the law of their country of residence;
Unconditionally accept these rules.
Exclusions:
Minors are not permitted to participate.
The following persons may not participate: members of the organization, their spouses, their ascendants and descendants, as well as any person having a direct or indirect connection with the organizer (employees, service providers, partners, etc.).
Any participation made in violation of the conditions set forth in these rules will be considered null and void and may not give rise to any claim.
To participate, it is sufficient to purchase or pre-order the treasure hunt book “Le Secret du Destrier©”, which will be either physical, digital, or both, depending on the number of participants
Article 7: Protection of Personal Data
The personal data collected in connection with this Game are processed by the Organizer solely for the purposes of its management and will not be used for any other purpose.
In accordance with the applicable regulations (the “Informatique et Libertés” law and the GDPR), each participant has the right to access, rectify, and erase their personal data, as well as the right to restrict and to object to processing.
These rights may be exercised upon simple request at the following address: contact@secretdestrier.com.
Article 8: Governing Law and Disputes
These rules are subject to French law. Any dispute that cannot be settled amicably shall be submitted to the competent courts within the jurisdiction of the Lyon Court of Appeal, to which exclusive jurisdiction is assigned.
Article 9: Publication
Participants are strictly prohibited from sharing any part of the physical or digital riddle book. This restriction applies across all media.
Breaching this rule constitutes intellectual property infringement and will result in legal action.
Article 10: Commitment
By participating in “The Destrier's Secret©”, participants agree to the entirety of these rules.
These rules have been filed with OFFICIALIS – Judicial Officers – 4 rue de Bonlieu, Annecy.