On a Canvas holiday you can go as you please. It is like no other package holiday - it is individually tailored for you. We offer complete flexibility - of dates, durations and travel arrangements.

Go as you please

You can depart any day. You can take any ferry crossing, you can travel via the Tunnel or fly-drive. You can drive direct to your resort or stop en route at one of our campsites or a hotel. Alternatively you can put your car on Motorail train and travel overnight to the sun. You can take a single-centre holiday or can have a multi-centre holiday at as many campsites as you like - the choice is yours.

Getting across the Channel and planning your route

Once you have selected your campsite(s) you need to decide the best route and the Channel crossing. We've tried to help by detailing Recommended Routes on each of the region pages. Remember our prices for UK customers include a Dover to Calais crossing - whereas other routes carry a supplement.
We ask that you plan your trip so as to arrive at your campsite between 4pm and 8pm.

Travel documents

• Passports and visas – British and Irish citizens are required to have a full (10 year) passport to travel abroad. Application forms are available from the Passport Office, the post office or from the Garda (in Ireland). If you are 16 or over and applying for a passport for the first time, it is recommended that you should apply for one at least six weeks before your holiday. The UK Passport Service has to confirm your identity before issuing your first passport, and from October 2006 will ask you to attend an interview in order to do this. Non British and Irish citizens must check the passport and visa regulations for the countries they want to visit or pass through. Holders of non-EEC passports require a visa to visit France – this can take six weeks to obtain from the French Consulate.
• Driving licence – please remember to take your driving licence with you on holiday. If travelling in Spain and hiring a car you need a photo driving licence.
• Childrens’ passports – if your children are on your 10-year passport they can continue to travel on it until either: they are 16, the passport expires, or the passport is amended. If the children are not on your 10-year passport you must obtain a full passport for them – even for babies.
  
• Health – information on overseas health care is contained in your Travel Pack.
  
• Up to date information – the Foreign and Commonwealth office produces up to date travel information to help British travellers make informed decisions about travelling abroad. For further information please visit www.fco.gov.uk/knowbeforeyougo or phone 0870 606 0290. Alternatively you can contact ABTA’s Travel Information line on 0901 201 5050 (calls are charged at 50p per minute).

Travel Tips

Your family budget will go further if you follow these tips:

1. No supplement crossings - UK customers should look out for the P&O Dover to Calais crossings or Norfolkline Dover to Dunkerque crossings with a 'nil' supplement. These crossings are included in your holiday price so there is nothing extra to pay.
2. Midweek travel - avoid weekend travel if you can as mid-week crossings are either included in the price (for UK customers) or carry lower supplements than at weekends. For UK customers, supplements normally apply to Friday and Saturday crossings outbound and Saturday and Sunday crossings homebound.
3. Travel early - take an early morning sailing. You can reach most of our resorts in a day - saving the cost of an overnight stop.
4. Afternoon crossings - if you have a few hours' driving before you reach the port, try to catch one of the economy sailings.
5. Check your vehicle height - if possible, avoid roof boxes, or carrying bikes on the roof. Ferry companies charge extra for overheight vehicles and Motorail will not accept them.
6. Low cost overnight stop - if you need an overnight stop, try one of our campsites - tents cost from £14 and mobile homes from £22 per night.
7. Avoid the tolls - The motorways and some in Normandy are free. Elsewhere the French levy a toll on all motorways. The alternative is the often very good RN roads - save money and see the real France at a slower pace.
8. Going to Austria or Italy? travel via Belgium and Germany and use their fast network of toll-free motorways.
9. Avoid Bank Holidays - the roads are notoriously busy for the mid July and mid August French Bank Holiday weekends, so avoid Paris and the roads leading south to the Mediterranean.