Money and backing in France

Money and backing in France

Visitors to Paris will find that the banks usually offer them the best rates of exchange. Privately owned bureaux de change, on the other hand, have variable rates, and care should be taken to check small print details relating to commission and minimum charges before any transaction is completed.

USING BANKS

There is no restriction on the amount of money or currency you may bring into France. 

It is wise to carry large sums in the form of travellers’ checks. To exchange travellers’ checks or cash, bureaux de change are located at airports, large railroad stations, and in some hotels and shops.

Foreign

Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere, making travellers’ checks less necessary.

Many bank branches in central Paris have their own bureaux de change. They generally offer the best exchange rates but also charge a commission for doing the exchange. Most banks also have ATMs (outside or in an indoor area) that accept credit cards in the Carte Bleu/VISA or MasterCard groups and debit cards (Switch, Maestro, Cirrus). This is the quickest and easiest way of obtaining money in local currency, although a small charge will be deducted from your account for this service.

Many independent, non-bank exchange offices do not charge commission, but they offer poorer rates of exchange.

Central Paris non-bank exchanges are usually open 9am–6pm Mon–Sat, and are found along the Champs-Elysées, around the Opéra and Madeleine, and near some tourist attractions and monuments. They can also be found at all main railroad stations, and are open 8am–9pm daily. Note that the bureaux at Gare St-Lazare and Gare d’Austerlitz are closed on Sunday. Airport offices tend

to open from 7am–11pm daily.

CARDS AND CHECKS

Travelers’ checks can be obtained from American Express, Travelex or from your bank. If you know that you will spend most of them, have them issued in euros.

American Express checks are widely accepted and, if the checks are exchanged at an Amex office, no commission will be charged. In the case of theft, your checks will be replaced at once.

Because of the high commissions charged, many French businesses do not accept the American Express credit card.

The most commonly used credit card is Carte Bleue/Visa. Eurocard/Mastercard is also widely accepted. Most credit cards are now “smart cards,” with a puce (a microchip) as well as a magnetic strip on the back.

Many retailers have machines designed to read both smart cards and magnetic strips.

Conventional non-French cards cannot always be read in the smart card slot. Ask the cashier to swipe the card through the magnetic reader (bande magnétique). You may also be asked to type in your PIN code (code confidentiel) on a small keypad.

THE EURO

The euro (¤) is the common currency of the European Union (EU). It went into general circulation on 1 January 2002, initially for 12 participating countries. France was one of those 12 countries Euro Bills Euro bills have seven denominations. The €5 bill (gray in color) is the smallest, followed by the 

€10 bill (pink), €20 bill (blue),  €50 bill (orange), €100 bill (green), €200 bill (yellow), and €500 bill

(purple). All bills show the stars of the European Union. And the original currency was phased out in 2002.  EU members using the Euro as sole official currency are known as the Eurozone. Several

EU members have opted out of joining this common currency. Euro notes are identical through-out the Eurozone countries, each one including designs of fictional architectural structures and monuments. The coins, however, have one side identical (the value side), and one side with a unique image. Both notes and coins are exchangeable in each of the participating euro countries.

Coins

The euro has eight coin denominations: €1 and €2; 50 cents, 20 cents, 10 cents, 5 cents,  2 cents, and 1 cent. The €1 and €2 coins are both silver and gold in colour. The 50-, 20-, and 10-cent coins are gold. The 5- , 2-, and 1-cent coins are bronze.

DIRECTORY

AFTER-HOURS 

BUREAUX DE CHANGE

Le Comptoir des Tuileries

27 Rue de l’Arbre Sec 75001.

Tel 01 42 60 17 16.

# 10am–7pm Mon–Fri, 

1–7pm Sat.

Global Change

134 Blvd St-Germain 75006.

Tel 01 40 46 87 75.

# 9am–10:30pm daily.

49 Ave de l’Opéra 75002. 

Tel 01 58 18 34 80.

# 9am–9:30pm Mon–Sat,

10am–6:30pm Sun.

Travelex

Gare du Nord (opposite Eurostar arrivals). 

Tel 01 42 80 11 50.

# 6:30am–10:30pm Mon–Thu,

Sat (to 11:30pm Fri).

FOREIGN BANKS

American Express

11 Rue Scribe 75009.

Tel 01 47 77 70 00.

Barclays

6 Rond-Point des Champs-Elysées 75008.

Tel 01 44 95 13 80.

One of several branches.

HSBC

22 Pl de la Madeleine 75008.

Tel 01 44 71 10 00.

Travelex

45 Ave de l’Opéra 75009.

Tel 01 42 96 18 17.

LOST CARDS AND TRAVELERS’ CHECKS

American Express

Tel 01 47 77 70 00 Cards.

Tel 08 00 90 86 00 Cheques.

Mastercard

Tel 08 00 90 13 87 Cards.

Visa/Carte Bleue

Tel 08 92 70 57 05 Cards.