Travel and insurance

For winter holidays, we include a return standard crossing with Eurotunnel LeShuttle from Folkestone to Calais (with a free upgrade to their premium FlexiPlus service at selected dates). For summer holidays, all our prices include a DFDS return crossing with a car and up to 4 passengers from Dover to Calais.

We can also arrange travel on other ferry routes for example Newhaven to Dieppe or Hull to Rotterdam. For those who want to travel by train, we can book the Eurostar Snow train and indirect routes where you take a Eurostar to Paris then a high-speed TGV to the Alps. Finally, we can book private taxi transfers from airports and train stations. Our team can quote you for all these options. Find out more on our winter and summer transport pages.

We can arrange travel for you on any specified date depending on availability. You could travel out a few days before your holiday accommodation with us starts and return a few days later. Crossings are frequent, so notify us of your preferred travel dates and times and we will book you on the nearest one and advise if any supplements apply.

It’s possible to do the whole drive from Calais, Dieppe or Rotterdam to the French Alps in one day. It would be a long drive but it’s possible. Most of our clients prefer to break up the journey on the way down, but often travel back in one day.

If you’re taking the train both options can be done in a day (although some of our team prefer a night in Paris to break up the journey). The Eurostar Snow service leaves London at around 9am and arrives in the Alps (after a change in Lille) for 7.30pm. If you are travelling via Paris an early Eurostar from London gets you to Paris around late-morning or lunchtime, and the TGV then takes 4-5 hours to take you to Bourg St Maurice, arriving there early evening.

We have a number of en-route hotels in convenient locations, such as Reims, Troyes, and Dijon and are happy to take care of arranging an overnight stop for you. View our winter en-route accommodation page or our summer en-route hotels page for further details and pricing. We can also arrange some special stops on the way home, check out our En route escapes programme.

If you want to organise your own travel arrangements you can. Our team can quote you for your holiday without travel. Most of our resorts are within close distance of the major airports such as Geneva or Lyon. We can arrange private taxi transfers from airports and train stations.

Sorry, we don’t currently arrange car hire.

We can pre-book private taxi transfers from airports including Geneva, Chambery, Grenoble, Lyon and Turin. We can also arrange to pick you up for a train station, including Bourg St Maurice, Albertville and Moutiers for instance. We can even arrange transfers across Paris if you are travelling by train and changing in Paris. Find out more on our transfer page or call us on 023 9283 9310 for a quote.

Yes, personal and medical travel insurance including Winter Sports cover (if you are taking part in winter sports activities) is a vital aspect to booking a holiday, giving you protection not only against some forms of cancellation but also unforeseen circumstances that could otherwise spoil your holiday. With this in mind, we require that all our clients have adequate cover in place and by proceeding with this booking you confirm that you have or will have suitable travel insurance cover in place prior to the holiday.

Carre Neige is an additional insurance, that covers you on the slopes, that lift pass companies can sell as an add-on to your lift pass. If you book your lift passes with us, you can often add Carre Neige to your passes in resort if you want to.

Carre Neige can make some circumstances easier, for example by avoiding some upfront costs if you have an accident on the mountain. However, your UK travel insurance with winter sports cover should also cover these eventualities; you just need to pay upfront and then claim the cost back through your travel insurance. Carre Neige is not a substitute for travel insurance with winter sports cover.

Your specific passport and visa requirements and other immigration requirements are your responsibility and you should confirm these with the relevant Embassies and/or Consulates. We do not accept any responsibility if you cannot travel because you have not complied with any passport, visa or immigration requirements.

Passports need to be valid for at least 3 months after the date you plan to return to the UK and not be more than 10 years old at the date you enter France. If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date so double check your passport isn’t over 10 years old from its date of issue. Please check your specific circumstances, particularly for your return to the UK, if you are a dual passport holder.

You should check with your own doctor for advice on medical requirements of the host countries. Ensure you have a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or if you already have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. The GHIC or EHIC entitles you to state provided medical treatment that may become necessary during your trip to an EU country (these are not valid in Switzerland for example). Any treatment provided in France is on the same terms as French nationals. The GHIC and EHIC do not cover all health-related costs, for example medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment. As these only provide limited cover, we require all our customers to have adequate holiday insurance cover including cover for winter sports if relevant. For treatment in any country you will need to produce your passport.

Before travelling, you can check current guidance on travel to France https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france/ 

You can also check for any other countries you may be travelling through https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The UK Home Office conducts exit checks at all UK airports and ports. Information that is included in passports or travel documents is collected for passengers leaving the country on scheduled commercial international air, sea and rail routes. The checks are carried out by staff working for the airline, rail or ferry operators. All data is processed in line with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the common law duty of confidentiality.

EES is an automated system of border checks which launched 12 October 2025. It changes requirements for British and other non-EU citizens travelling to the Schengen area (which includes France).

The new system means you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area, at the port, Eurotunnel in Folkestone, Eurostar St Pancras, or at the airport on arrival. You don't need to do anything in advance. This involves submitting your fingerprints, having your photo taken and your passport scanned at dedicated digital booths. The system will replace the current system of having your passport manually stamped. Everyone will need to do this (even infants). However, children under 12 will only need to have their photo taken and passport scanned. There is no need to do anything before you travel, however, you should allow extra time to complete EES.

At the Port of Dover, Eurotunnel in Folkestone and Eurostar from St Pancras, EES will be carried out before departure as is currently the case for border checks. EES may take a few extra minutes to complete, so be prepared to wait during busy times at the border. Our blog has more information about EES at Eurotunnel LeShuttle with photos.

Once registered, your digital record will be valid for three years. If you enter the Schengen area again during the time, you will only need to provide one biometric (either a photo or a fingerprint) at the border when you enter or exit.

For more information visit gov.uk/entry-exit-system

ETIAS is the new system that will require non-EU visitors to the EU (such as British Citizens), who don't require a VISA, to apply for a Travel Authorisation. Implementation of this has been delayed until the last quarter of 2026. Find out more at europa.eu/etias 

If you are travelling with a pet, you will need an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) for them. You should contact your vet as soon as possible to arrange this as it can take up to one month to arrange this and relevant vaccinations. You can find out more here - https://www.gov.uk/taking-your-pet-abroad

You are not allowed to take meat or milk, or products containing them into the EU. You can find out more about what food stuffs you are allowed to bring back to the UK here - https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-into-great-britain

Should a member of your party become pregnant prior to your date of departure, please inform us immediately. We will not be held responsible if you do not inform us and your travel provider then refuses your carriage. Ferry operators do have restrictions on the carriage of pregnant women. We can look into the latest rules for you when you contact us. At present, Eurotunnel LeShuttle and Eurostar have no restrictions on the carriage of pregnant women but a certificate of fitness to travel may be required from your doctor.

Airlines generally do have restrictions on carrying women who are pregnant. We therefore strongly advise you to contact your flight provider prior to making a booking with us or if you have already booked, as soon as you discover that you are pregnant. We also recommend that you discuss your travel plans with your doctor or midwife.