"The only sure card to use in France is a VISA affliated card (Carte Blue in France). And make sure you have a valid chip and pin number - again it wont work if you dont."
Even that is not 100%, as I found out - see my post above.
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>DO NOT RELY ON YOUR DEBIT CARD
Even a Debit Card with a Visa logo on it, as mine seems to have ? Come to that, why does one of my Debit Cards have a Cirrus logo and one of the others a Visa logo ? Does that mean, as with a credit card, that they are accepted in different places on difference networks ?
And surely since visa is accepted just about anywhere by just about anything then the Cirrus is of less value ? Or am I missing something ?
I'm new to the entire debit card lark. I assumed that the only difference is a credit card takes money from your credit account and the debit card takes it from your current account. Is there anything else ?
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I'd like to know the answer to that too. I don't have any credit cards but one of my Debit cards has a Visa logo on it.
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Adam
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I'm new to the entire debit card lark. I assumed that the only difference is a credit card takes money from your credit account and the debit card takes it from your current account. Is there anything else ?
Mark,
I think that's right for Visa, not sure about Switch. Used my Visa Delta debit card in manned filing stations and to pay supermarket and hotel bills in France without any trouble apart from a dodgy magnetic strip. Some used Chip and PIN, some a signature. Automated filling stations are different and a rule unto themselves.
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You can get into the same problem at the peage tolls - *some* will only accept Carte Bleu, and have big signs warning that cirrus and maestro are not accepted.
I´ve been caught out on a Sunday like the biker poster too, but likewise the chap in front was more than happy to put 20? diesel on his card for cash.
At some point in the future this could be resolved, but, as the saying goes, don´t hold yer breath.
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Yes - you can get the situation where outlets will NOT take "visa" debit cards, (due to the high claw back required by visa clearing) but will take "other" (cirrus) debit cards due to less claw back.
The situation throws up this quirk
Visa CREDIT cards are more widely accepted in the UK and Europe. Visa DEBIT cards are not. (even in the same place that takes visa credit cards - specially in Europe)
Whats even dafter is that if its not electronically swiped but kerchunked by a hand machine and signature, the outlet will take your visa debit card thinking its a visa credit card. Sometimes you get billed, sometimes you dont.
Debit cards SNAFU gets worse in the States!
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Is there a difference between using my credit card (which is paid in full by direct debit every month) and using a debit card ?
Given that I will pay interest on neither, the money will leave me sooner via the debit card, and I have to pay the debit card whereas in an emergency I could decide not to pay my credit card in full ?
Given that both cards are accepted, of course.
Seems to me that debit cards are for those who either cannot get or equally do not want, a credit card.
But I can't help but feel I'm missing something.
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If you cant get a credit card, you wont get a debit card.
The retailer pays a % of sale to the clearing company (slightly less for debit card)
The retailer gets paid in the same time frame (ie late)
The french only want cash
The banks make money either way
so no - no diffrence
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Hmmm....
Strange thing about cards in France. Last year none of my 3 different cards would work in a French Hotel, yet they were all more than acceptable to resturaunts and banks alike.
In Italy I've never had a problem with any of my cards.
JaB
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>>Strange thing about cards in France
You're not wrong. In Calais a few months ago I couldn't get any of my UK cards to work but two other cards from Bank of America and Banco do Brasil both worked without any issue - quite why my North/South American cards would work but my UK cards would not I have no idea.
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Is there a difference between using my credit card (which is paid in full by direct debit every month) and using a debit card ? Given that I will pay interest on neither, the money will leave me sooner via the debit card, and I have to pay the debit card whereas in an emergency I could decide not to pay my credit card in full ? Given that both cards are accepted, of course. Seems to me that debit cards are for those who either cannot get or equally do not want, a credit card. But I can't help but feel I'm missing something.
Best bit about a credit card is the 1% cash back you can get with Capitalone - My 'cashback' comes tax free just before Xmas - Not often you find a credit card company buying you a nice present.
I would not use Capone in France though as the chages are much higher than nationwide - which should also be used for 'white goods' in this country as you get a free extended [2 year] warranty.
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It seemed very dear there as well.
Diesel was between ?1.05 - ?1.10 litre (bout 72 - 75p litre.)
Suprised the French Farmers weren't burning baricades of fuel tankers across the roads.
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When paying for petrol in France by credit card, is VISA likely to be more acceptable that Mastercard?
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When paying for petrol in France by credit card, is VISA likely to be more acceptable that Mastercard?
I carry both and can not remember a single occasion when I had to use one or the other - They seem to use both in my experience of once a year for 10 years.
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In my experience there is no difference between Visa & Mastercard's 'acceptability' in France. Where one is accepted, the other will be. I wouldn't rely on a debit card in France.
Regarding petrol pumps and other anomalies with chip and pin, basically, our UK chip and pin technology (in the terminals) is different to the French (quelle surprise!) Bear in mind they have had chip and pin for years. Ours, being more recent has taken advantage of improved technology. I think that within 2 years France aims to have upgraded all its chip and pin terminals (including petrol pumps) with the improved system, and voila - our cards should work there too. Some terminals have already been upgraded, hence the situation where sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
I will try and find the reference for where I read this, just to make sure its not a figment of my imagination!
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Is there a difference between using my credit card (which is paid in full by direct debit every month) and using a debit card ?
The only difference relates to the Consumer Credit Act. Even if you pay the credit card off every month, you are briefly borrowing the money, and therefore transactions are covered and you are in turn protected, by which I mean if the goods bought are unsatisfactory you have a right of recovery against the credit card co as well as the supplier.
None of this applies with the debit card (even if the withdrawal take you overdrawn)
Hope this is helpful.
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I shall not have to worry about filling up in France. We are off in the wife's car in the morning. I asked her how much fuel there was -
"I filled it yesterday." was the reply.
Aren't women wonderful.
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I failed to find an auto pump that would take any of my cards (Lloyds debit, Tesco credit, Abbey multifunction and SWMBOs Barclaycard - all VISA) at 2 supermarkets (Leclerc and ATAC) in the Lot et Garonne and Cote DOr.
In both cases no Frogs around.
In second case it was Sat night before the early leave to drive home on Sunday morning, very relieved to find small garage open at 9pm that took folding euros!
Cue calls of 'well you should have filled up earlier then'.....
Dan
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SWMBO just reminded me, its not just France. In Berlin we couldnt get any of our cards to work in ticket machines at the S-Bahn or U-Bahn.
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I shall not have to worry about filling up in France. We are off in the wife's car in the morning. I asked her how much fuel there was - "I filled it yesterday." was the reply. Aren't women wonderful.
Except fuel - particularly diesel - is cheaper in La Belle France.
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Only a lot - But don't tell me tell her.
Why oh why did I marry the only person on the planet who fills up to go to France. I better check the bag to see if she has packed some wine too!!
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I have just returned from France, where I have a holiday home, and have no problem using Visa or Mastercard debit or credit cards. The problem is that French retailers are not catching up with new technology, and may not be able to accept the new chip and pin cards from the UK. However, they will usually swipe the card if they cannot use the chip and pin.
Filling stations can be a problem. The new Leclerc filling station on the N154 near Dreux will only accept French cards. Carrefour at Cite Europe will only accept cash or UK cards.
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My understanding re chip and pin was that France is light years ahead, they have been using it for some years, but our version isn't always compatible with their system.
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The chip and pin system used in France is compatible with ours in the UK. However retailers need a software upgrade on their terminal, so those that don't accept UK cards either requested the facility from their bank or their bank hasn't made the upgrade available.
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"My understanding re chip and pin was that France is light years ahead, they have been using it for some years, but our version isn't always compatible with their system."
Smokie,
I think this used to be the case but, as Rebecca says above, we have now leapfrogged (no pun intended!!) their technology which they have had for years with regard to chip and pin at the automated petrol pumps.
Never had a problem using any credit card or debit card in any shop or hotel etc in France except this year when our exhaust dropped off near Nantes at 5.30 one evening. Found an exhaust place, just about to close but they rang a parts supplier, had it delivered, fitted it by 6.45. When we came to pay neither my wife's 2 credit cards, nor my 2, or our debit cards would work in their machine. Had to nip to a cash machine at Nantes airport to get some money! felt very guilty, having delayed them until 7.00 when they were closing at 5.30 - but they didn't seem to mind and were really helpful.
Price of diesel and petrol has gone up markedly in France in the last year - used to be the same in centimes as we paid in pence (ie about 85-90 centimes a litre for diesel) Now nowhere is under 1.05 euros - petrol must be about same as here now I guess??
Phil
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Post crossed with Flying Red's - he probably knows more about it than me!!
Phil
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I stand corrected, and would concur that problems have only started to appear this year, since the UK moved to chip and pin. I have had immense problems this year with Mastercard and Visa cards. Almost had to re-shelf my shopping in Carrefour as they would not do a printed slip so that I could sign. Switch was OK though.
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"problems this year with Mastercard and Visa cards. Almost had to re-shelf my shopping in Carrefour"
Odd that - I've found my chip and pin works much better than cards in the past when they often wanted additional forms of ID. I wonder if it depends on the particular shop and their system?
Seems that different people in different shops have very different experiences - perhaps it is the froggies updating (or not) their system??? (My credit cards are both now Visa so perhaps it's Mastercard??)
Too bloomin' easy to spend money in France these days!! Anyone remember the days when you could only take £50 (??)of foreign currency abroad and had to get your passport stamped to say that you'd had your limit. And in the days of no credit cards/debit cards. Eurocheques?? How did we manage?? And filling up in UK 'cos petrol was 3 times as expensive in France?? (7/6d a gallon as opposed to 2/6d)Driving very economocally to Luxembourg because petrol there was about same price as UK? And being thankful to get to Yugoslavia on fumes 'cos petrol there was so much cheaper - about one third the price of UK? Or are these just dreams?? And going to Mercantile Credit and asking for a loan for a driving holiday to Greece, them saying no, but we can loan you money to buy furniture (at 19%APR!!) so you say well we intend to buy some furniture in Greece, so they say, that's OK then we'll lend you the money??
Phil
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Last week I paid between 1.15 and 1.20 euros for diesel in France, and 0.97 euros in Spain.
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My Maestro Service card worked fine all over France this year as did my Mastercard credit card.
The French are not all used to the fact that British cards now have chip & PIN.
One store repeatedly attempted to swipe my card. It did not work.
I told them it had a PIN, they tried that and it worked. Lucky as I had just plonked down 300Euros of booze on the conveyor!
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I wasna fu but just had plenty.
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A friend had the bizarre situation last year of the supermarket pump not accepting his card, but the supermarket itself would.
Being the pragmatic type he simply purchased 20l of vegetable oil and added some Millers to it. Got him to the next service station on the Autoroute where there were no problems.
It's invariably automated pumps that are the problem. The EPOS in the manned filling stations is usually more up to date.
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Always have some good old hard currency as backup.
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