Access to CAN-Bus

[Thin Myrna]

I'd like to access some drive hardware via CAN bus from Python under Linux
(sending rec'ing PDOs). Googling around I couldn't find a Python package,
but people who said that they are doing this, though. I guess they are
using their home brewn software. 

Any pointer to 
-  such software (anyone willing to share his experience?)
-  how to write such software?

Under Windows, I guess, I could use some COM or ctypes functionality to
access the hardware vendor's hardware. What if I wanted to access such
hardware from Linux? Is there a package that allows that in a vendor (who
doesn't support Linux) independent way?

Many thanks in advance
Thin