Excnange cash (£) for Euros in France

[andygo]

Just wondered if its better to take £s to my holiday destination in France and change it at the local bank there. I'm renting out there for 3 weeks and paying the expat owner in euros. Its going to be well over a £1000 so might be better for me.

I think Barclays want to charge me 2% cash handling fee for any online currency purchase in the UK.

[Bluebarge]

I doubt the local bank will be that comfortable accepting a load of used sterling notes from someone who is not their customer. It's an obvious fraud/money-laundering risk.

Try the Post Office for foreign exchange.

[Puggit]

Cheapest way to get hold of euros is from a French cash machine using a UK debit card which doesn't charge for foreign withdrawals.

[andygo]

Puggit said:

Cheapest way to get hold of euros is from a French cash machine using a UK debit card which doesn't charge for foreign withdrawals.

But do you get caned on the exchange rate?

[andygo]

Bluebarge said:

I doubt the local bank will be that comfortable accepting a load of used sterling notes from someone who is not their customer. It's an obvious fraud/money-laundering risk.

Try the Post Office for foreign exchange.

The people I'm staying with might be able to do the exchange at their French bank.

[Amateurish]

andygo said:

Puggit said:

Cheapest way to get hold of euros is from a French cash machine using a UK debit card which doesn't charge for foreign withdrawals.

But do you get caned on the exchange rate?

No, the exchange is usually good.

[leyorkie]

Look at FairFx pre loaded credit card. You pre-load the card with as much cash as you need ,in euros, and then draw it from any cash machine in France. If you use the card as a standard credit card there is no charge however each cash withdrawal is charged at 1.5 euros BUT check out the rate better - than high street. I have used them for some time and you can load the card by internet or telephone so if you need more euros it's easy to top up.
Todays rate 1.165 euros/£


http://www.fairfx.com/