Money and Phone in France

[rfisher]

About to nip over to France for a few days.

Is it possible to use debit and credit cards there OK or do you need Euro notes?

Mobile phones: buy a local PAYG sim or just use the one I have?

Ta.

[Flintstone]

Just get your phone company to unlock roaming, best done a few days in advance. Credit cards work there, they've got electricity and everything.

[Killwilly]

You can also get cash from an ATM using a debit card.

[smack]

rfisher said:

About to nip over to France for a few days.

Is it possible to use debit and credit cards there OK or do you need Euro notes?

You will be fine with your cards. UK cards even work in unmanned petrol pumps these days, unlike the past.

Check with your bank how much they charge for cash withdrawals - some are free (Nationwide as an example), and some it will be a few quid which will cost you a lot if you are taking a small amount out often.

[chard]

[/quote]

You will be fine with your cards. UK cards even work in unmanned petrol pumps these days, unlike the past.
[/quote]

Don't rely on it. Mine didn't this Summer (running on fumes, sunday, rural area, a bit awkward)

[Jackleman]

Worth checking your data roaming prices as well, you may consider switching off data as some apps on some phones chew data up in the background!

[Busamav]

Flintstone said:

Just get your phone company to unlock roaming, best done a few days in advance. Credit cards work there, they've got electricity and everything.

If you are on Vodaphone , give them a call and register for "passport"

[smack]

chard said:

smack said:

You will be fine with your cards. UK cards even work in unmanned petrol pumps these days, unlike the past.

Don't rely on it. Mine didn't this Summer (running on fumes, sunday, rural area, a bit awkward)

Yeah, I figure there are still some that it won't work, but the last 3 trips I have done in the last 14 months it has worked every time, even in some small backwater areas of France.

Else you go for plan B: Wait for a frog to turn up with a CB card, and give them cash.

[5potTurbo]

Use your UK cards to withdraw cash from the bank machines.

Yes, they have those too!

[Engineer1]

Possibly worth contacting your bank so the don't stop you card for being used abroad.

[rfisher]

Thanks - sounds like the French have almost become civilised since I last visited.

Are they still not washing, stting into holes in the floor and talking funny?

[Puggit]

rfisher said:

Are they still not washing, stting into holes in the floor and talking funny?

Some things never change, although you'll struggle to find a hole in the floor on the autoroutes now (but it's not impossible!)

[chard]

smack said:

Else you go for plan B: Wait for a frog to turn up with a CB card, and give them cash.

Yup, that's exactly what I did.

[R6dug]

No issues with uk cards i am out here now.

the only issue i had was my card not working in the toll booth. Worked in one but not the others. Worth having a few euros with you just in case.

[Flintstone]

Busamav said:

Flintstone said:

Just get your phone company to unlock roaming, best done a few days in advance. Credit cards work there, they've got electricity and everything.

If you are on Vodaphone , give them a call and register for "passport"

Good call. I'd forgotten about that.

[rfisher]

Just checked my debit card t&c.

3% fee and £1.50 charge per ATM withdrawal.

Grrrrr!

Not so much yeah yeah yeah.

More like ha ha ha.