Contactless works nearly everywhere including bakeries and transit gates. Withdraw at BNP Paribas, Societe Generale or Credit Agricole machines, avoid Euronet, and remember service is already included so tipping is optional.
- Contactless is universal - bakeries, pharmacies, transit gates, taxis. Keep EUR 1 to EUR 10 in coins for open-air markets and some public toilets.
- Use bank ATMs - BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole, LCL, La Banque Postale - which add no fee of their own for a foreign card.
- Avoid Euronet machines, clustered around landmarks and stations, which combine a heavy access fee with an aggressive conversion prompt.
- Decline dynamic currency conversion every time. Paying in your own currency instead of euro costs 6% to 12% over the interbank rate.
- Service is legally included, so tipping is optional and never expected. Coffee costs less standing at the counter than at a table, and that tariff is displayed by law.
Money and paying for things
France uses the euro (EUR).
- Contactless is universal - bakeries, pharmacies, transit gates, taxis, restaurants all take Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay and Google Pay. Keep EUR 1 to EUR 10 in coins for open-air markets, some public toilets and the occasional very small purchase.
- Use bank ATMs: BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Credit Agricole, LCL, BPCE and La Banque Postale do not add their own fee for a foreign card. Withdrawal limits run EUR 300 to EUR 500 per transaction.
- Avoid Euronet. Its machines cluster around landmarks and stations and combine a heavy access fee with an aggressive conversion prompt.
- Decline dynamic currency conversion every time. Paying in your own currency instead of euro costs 6% to 12% over the interbank rate. Choose EUR.
- Do not use the airport bureaux de change such as Travelex at CDG or Orly - wide spreads plus commission on a service an ATM does better.
Tipping
Service is legally included. French bills carry a 15% service charge (service compris), so tipping is entirely optional and never expected. Rounding up EUR 1 to EUR 2 for good cafe service, or leaving around EUR 5 after a fine-dining meal, is a compliment rather than an obligation.
What things cost
| Item | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Espresso (cafe) | EUR 2.00 to 3.50 |
| Bakery lunch formule | EUR 6.50 to 10.00 |
| Bistro main course (plat) | EUR 15.00 to 24.00 |
| Bottled water, 1.5 litre | EUR 0.80 to 1.80 |
| Paris metro or RER single | EUR 2.55 |
| Nice tram or bus single | EUR 1.70 |
| Taxi, per kilometre | EUR 1.27 to 1.76 by time band |
Coffee costs less standing at the counter than sitting at a table, and less inside than on the terrace. That is not a scam, it is the published tariff - it is displayed by law.
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