My wife and I are arriving at CDG airport on Thursday August 14th at 11 am French time. We have no euros. My plan is to take a taxi (G7) or Uber to Paris, pay for the taxi with a credit card, and, when we arrive in Paris, obtain euros at an ATM with my bank debit card. We are staying in the Marais, near the Place Des Vosges. My hope is to go to a bank near our apartment rental and use their ATM to use my Capital One Bank debit card to obtain euros. I would like to avoid or minimize an ATM transaction fee. My questions are: what is the best ATM network to use with a Capital One debit card and what banks would have that network? Also, we will be in France for about three weeks (Paris, Lyon, and taking a riverboat to Cannes). We will be using our credit card as much as possible. How much cash in euros will we need for the three week stay?
Posted by
3000 posts
ATMs at the following banks generally charge no local fees:
- La Poste
- LCL
- BNP
- CCF
Other entities will reliably add local fees. Any fees incurred making withdrawals from the above locations, originate from your local bank.
You may want to check with Capital One Bank to confirm any foreign ATM fees. It would be reasonable to assume that Capital Once passes along the 1% currency conversion fee.
Posted by
Chicago
9236 posts
I like to use the post office as their machines are more often programmable to get smaller bills.
Posted by
Reston VA
457 posts
How much cash in euros will we need for the three week stay?
Probably not much at all. Every trip I take, I use less and less cash. I can't even remember the last time I replenished my "stash" of Euros, but it has to be pre-COVID.
On the plus side, the Euros you return with can be kept for your next trip. Or, you can just use them up on the final day or two by not using your CC for things like meals or souvenirs.
And when you use the ATM, go for the smaller bills option (if possible). Buying a newspaper or croissant with a 100 or 50 Euro bill is often frowned upon.
Posted by
Twin Cities, Minnesota
2267 posts
Another recommendation for La Poste. The machine was inside where I went in the Latin Quarter and the directions were simple to understand.
Posted by
1478 posts
I suggest using an ATM inside a lobby once you decide on the other variables.
Posted by
Long Beach, Ca, usa
2352 posts
Jim,
My guess would be 100 euros for three weeks. Buying a crepe on the street in Paris or something small at a street market may be easier with cash. And, as mentioned above, just spend them down on your last day or two in France. (We bought a bottle of a brand of pastis to bring home in our checked bag on our last visit. It is a brand we can't find at home.) Or save them for your next trip to Europe. You can use them in so many countries.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Virginia, USA
6237 posts
In Fall of 2023, I used cash for the following:
1) Paris Walks
2) Some vendors at outdoor markets I visited had minimums for cards (e.g., purchases under 10 EUR had to be paid with cash).
I used less than 100 EUR in notes. I used a BNP ATM and did not incur any additional charges.
Posted by
San Francisco
15512 posts
In spite of the large amount of cash brought along, it started to run out, down to the last 250 Euro. I decided to get more cash regardless of the various expenses.
I was in Nogent-sur-Seine not far from Paris and happened to see the post office....fantastic since I had to get stamps for post cards anyway and the post office had its ATM.
I used that , better to use that , if absolutely need be, than those ATMs in the train stations.
Posted by
OP
8 posts
Thanks for your very helpful replies. My bank (Capital One) says they don't charge a fee for withdrawals at foreign ATMs (where I need to get euros upon arrival in Paris). Capital One says their ATM network partner is Allpoint. If some banks in Paris (like BNP) do not charge local ATM fees, I am assuming that I don't need to find a bank that has Allpoint, if one exists in Paris.