Do I need a pin number enabled Credit Card for French Tolls

There are a dozen or so companies operating the French autoroute network. Each has its own rules in reference to credit card acceptance. Cash always works, any given credit card will probably work.

I would not depend on a US chip and signature card working for French tolls. It might but most likely it will not. I would go with cash just to be safe. If you are going to try your card make sure you pick a lane that takes both cash and card. Most lanes are card only. If you have a true chip and pin card, then it should work.

We have driven from Paris to the south and back and sometimes our cards worked and sometimes they didn't. the toll system is run by different companies different places (the glories of the efficiencies of privatization) and some of them don't take US cards and others do. Many are not manned either and so cash is not easy to use. Usually there is a manned cash booth - not always). At one a disembodied voice told us to put the money in a box at the station (not an automatic bill receptacle just a box) and then manually opened the gate remotedly. We got this voice with the emergency button after trying all of our cards. In the south our cards worked fine which was great because there are toll booths every few KM along the Riviera.

Excellent advice. I would just add that I always choose the lanes marked with a green arrow. This means the machines take cash and usually credit cards as well. You can try your card and if it doesn't work, you can always use your cash as a backup. Be aware that these machines take coins and euro bills of 20 euros or less. No 50 euro bills are accepted.

Drove through Normandy this week and had no trouble (Giverny to Caen to Mont Saint Michel and back). Put the card in and it processed and came right back out. We did have cash just in case, but didn’t need it.. I called and had a pin set on my card before leaving home but have not really needed to use the pin anywhere

I used my chip and sig card several times one month ago, no problem, but the toll booths are an excellent place to get rid of excess change if traffic is fairly light. I wouldn't want to do that with lines at the toll both.

As most have said, it’s sort of random. Last month I was in a non cash lane by mistake and my card worked.

I guess the question is "Are you feeling lucky ?" Carry cash just in case you hit the toll booths that do NOT take your card.

We used cash. None of our cc’s including a true chip and pin worked at the tolls we went through in the south of France.

My experience is I (almost always) can get one of my cards to work - but it's usually on the second try. The second time sometimes works when the first doesn't. My theory is the transaction "times out" before it's approved by an overseas bank.

There have been a couple (maybe two or three out of thirty or more toll plazas) when I went through every card (debit and credit) I was carrying, twice, and didn't get anything to work. In those cases, it's important to carry cash.

I make sure I have cash available and go to a toll booth that can take cash or card. For cash flow purposes I try the card first. If all else fails, I have cash to use. I don't recall ever paying a toll over about 8 euro. Keep bills in denominations of tens or smaller. The chance your cash will be accepted goes down at 20 euro bills and goes way down above that. I like using Carrefour stores or Lidl (I think) bank ATMs because they let you choose the bills you want. I want only tens or smaller. I can't stand any ATM that spits a 50 out.

Every one of my cards has a pin number. All except one are really a chip and signature card. I've heard people say to just ignore when it asks for a pin. I've always put in the pin I know in. I'm not sure if that helps, hurts or makes no difference?

I may be mistaken, but I believe many US credit card issuers are now approving purchases without signature at a higher minimum than they have in the past--for amounts lower than $20, for example. I think this change may be benefiting some traveling Americans who want to use their credit cards in Europe at automated tellers. For example, I was able to use a credit card to buy tram tickets in France that only cost a few Euros with no problem. Larger items like TGV tickets might still be a problem because those typically cost more and require signature. So it might depend on how much you're spending, whether or not your card will work.

Definitely just carry euros, or take back roads and skip the hassle altogether. We found that our chipped US visas and debits worked sometimes, but when that little gate thing is down in front of your car and your visa doesn't work in the toll machine, and you don't have coins and there are 500 cars lined up behind you, it's not a fun moment.

Take euros and save yourself the panic at each stop.

Just traveled for 3 weeks through France by car. I tried to avoid toll roads but sometimes that wasn't realistic. I never had a problem using my credit card, it is a Costco Visa. Most tolls were 3 to 4 Euro largest one about 10 Euros. A couple had the ability to use touchless or you could insert your card, though most tolls were where you could only insert your card. Our credit card worked for both, but there was always an option to insert your card if yours isn't touchless. No PIN number was ever needed.

Just take cash......these toll roads will drive you insane and become the biggest pain for us in an otherwise blissful trip.....after anxiety over looking for our cards while others wait in line behind us, hoping we are doing it correctly and as quickly as possible and trying to understand the French....we made a pact from now on to always be ready with cash!