carnet

Carnet is a term of French origin that refers to a small book or booklet used for recording information, and more broadly to a class of documents and passes in international travel and commerce. In everyday French, un carnet means a notebook, logbook, or agenda, and the word is used for travel diaries (carnet de voyage) or sketchbooks, as well as for small booklets that collect notes, tickets, or coupons.

One well-known type in international commerce is the carnet de passage en douane (CPD). Issued by a chamber of commerce or automobile association, the CPD guarantees temporary importation of goods, commonly vehicles, into foreign countries. It allows travellers to bring in goods without paying duties on entry and to re-export them later. The document is often valid for a year and is recognized by participating customs authorities; it requires a deposit or guarantee and must be presented at exit and entry.

Carnets de voyage are personal or semi-professional travel diaries that combine notes, dates, sketches, maps, and sometimes collected mementos. They are used by travelers, writers, and artists to document experiences and plan works based on those experiences; some carnet entries are later published as memoirs or illustrated books.

Beyond these, carnets can simply denote any small booklet or set of papers, such as a ticket carnet or a small record book, depending on regional usage. Etymology traces to French, where carnet denotes a small book or card; the exact historical development varies by use and is not always recorded.