Purchasing Euro's

Often asked. Good advice here on the site:
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/travel-checklist-money

You can use your credit and debit card for many items - I rarely use cash in France (or at least Paris, certainly). If you do need cash, you can withdraw from an ATM. Alternatively, bring your home currency and change in France.

Only you know how much you will spend, and on what. You haven't mentioned how long you're staying, what you're doing etc so we have no idea how much you'll need.

Since it is your first trip I would recommend you bring some euro with you. Some people will recommend getting them at the ATM at the airport, but you will probably be preoccupied with getting your bags, finding immigration, finding a taxi (or your prearranged pickup) to worry about seeking out an ATM.
If you are like my husband, he hates to not have cash on him. I would recommend $2-300 to start with and see how long that lasts. France is still a country that does accept cash. And do not be concerned if you have any left over, they will be good for your next trip.

I use relatively little Euros when traveling to Europe. I obtain them after getting there from bank ATM's--not Travelex or American Express ATM's. I use my credit card every chance I get--including getting train and subway tickets out of vending machines.

Europeans even use ATM cards more than we do in the U.S.

I like to arrive in Europe with €100-200. I know I will be tired or rushed so don’t want to find a bank ATM at the airport. If I don’t have euros left over from a previous trip, I buy some through my BAC account a couple weeks before leaving home. The exchange rate is barely different.

I like to arrive in Europe with €100-200. I know I will be tired or rushed so don’t want to find a bank ATM at the airport. If I don’t have euros left over from a previous trip, I buy some through my BAC account a couple weeks before leaving home. The exchange rate is barely different.

Ditto...

Your bank may be able to sell you Euros. I bank with Wells Fargo and the last time I needed some (to pay a VRBO balance in cash, which was more than I could have gotten at one time from an ATM), I was able to login to my account and buy them online, then pick them up at my branch. That way we didn't have to bother with an ATM at all. But like the other commenters have said, credit cards are very widely accepted in Europe.

https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/cash-tips

I always just get whatever I need from a bank ATM, but I definitely understand wanting some before you arrive since this issue your first trip.

If you are on Facebook, check with your neighborhood page. Ours often has posts from people who are asking to purchase any leftover foreign currency, for exactly this type of situation. With it being a small community, I know I can trust my neighbors vs just a general Facebook post.

jsandora welcome. I look at it this way. If I was traveling anywhere in the US, would I feel comfortable arriving with no cash in my pocket? Some people are Ok with that. I prefer to have enough cash to get through a day or two until I can find an ATM to get more.

I can buy foreign currency through my bank or AAA ahead of time, but I know it will be at a higher rate and possible fees. Thats the price of convenience.

Its a personal decision depending on your comfort level. We travel internationally at least twice a year. Many/most places are accepting credit cards, especially in France. For our last couple trips, we didn't even spend 150 euro cash for an entire month plus trip. We start our trips with about 100 euro, always left over from the previous trips. If I didn't have leftover cash, I would wait until I get to my destination. I've priced out the cost of obtaining foreign currency from my bank or my AAA office, and unless I have an unusual situation, I won't purchase currency before a trip.

One thing that you might consider is a no fee ATM card. I have set up a small account and will be using a Charles Schwab ATM card for my next trip. Schwab reimburses ATM fees.

My upcoming trip starts in Turkey. I will be starting that trip with no lira. Likewise, when we went to New Zealand this past winter, we started the trip with no New Zealand currency. We actually didn't even need cash until a week and a half into the trip. At that point, we took out the equivalent of $150 USD, and had trouble spending it because at the end of our trip, no merchants would take cash. We were in France last fall as part of a larger trip. The only thing we used cash for was parking and rest rooms.

For me, personally, I don't like having a lot of cash on my person. But, a lot depends on your needs and spending habits. Are you arriving late in the day? Do you have an immediate need for cash? No one knows your situation and how much cash you get is your choice.

I agree it comes down to comfort level. I don't normally carry cash at home (most of the time) so don't feel the need to have cash when I'm in a country where I know cards are widely accepted. That said, if you'd feel more comfortable having some cash on you when you arrive, that may help you feel more relaxed about the trip. But I wouldn't feel the need to bring ALL the money you expect to spend when you can use card for most of it. The last time I was in Paris I didn't spend any cash at all.

Do you and your wife use ApplePay or GooglePay? I do suggest you set these up and get comfortable with them at home. Because of this I use very little cash any more. Maybe a few Euro here and there for tips for hotel housekeeping.

I always take a cab from the airport into town from the official taxi rank. BEFORE I get into the cab or let my driver load my bags, I hold up my CC and say "OK?" IF I need Euro I get them from an ATM near my hotel after I drop my bags.

If you decide to get Euro from your bank before you travel, I'd only get about 100E. You will probably struggle to use even that amount so you'll have some seed money for next trip too!

...If I was traveling anywhere in the US, would I feel comfortable arriving with no cash in my pocket?..

Stan pretty well puts it in perspective. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

You can get a starter set of Euros at any AAA office and you don't need to be a member to avail yourself of the service as I recall.
I believe that the minimum order is around USD$200 and that they contract thru Wells Fargo. Though the exchange rate isn't the greatest it really doesn't amount to much for such a small order.
A helpful feature is that the starter set comes in small bills, which comes in handy for small purchases when you don't particularly want to try to break a large note.

A helpful feature is that the starter set comes in small bills, which comes in handy for small purchases when you don't particularly want to be trying to break a large note.

Bank of America for its customers offers a similar option to request a mix of bills. For any BofA customer, look into it.

Last year when I went to Spain, I entered the country with only about 60 Euro. I needed to get cash, which I hate to do solo at ATMs. I felt low on cash that entire trip, because I wanted to use my Apple Pay, etc. In the end, I didn't like being limited with a low amount of cash... Because I was so low, it psychologically limited my activity in the beginning. But more importantly, as a risk oriented person, I know better. I prefer to have more money than I'll need in the short term; ie, $2-300.00 in the past, but I'm actually leaning towards more, now. The world is crazy. I am an Apple Pay and credit card user at home, but S&%t happens, and cash is king when it does. I don't want to be caught in a foreign country when machines everywhere are down with no or little cash. In fact, some people I know carry enough cash to get out of the country easily, even their own. The likelihood that this would be needed, pretty darn low. But, better safe than sorry...I like to be prepared, especially in a place where I have no home or contacts. So there's my contrary opinion... ;)

I get my cash at AAA.

PS, I am not a Prepper.

jsandora,
Although we try to always use one of our two credit cards that have no foreign transaction fees when traveling, we also always get about $100 each in euros (or whatever currency needed for a country), and sometimes have to withdraw more cash from an ATM. In France last year, at a couple of farmers' markets a few sellers only took cash, some public toilets needed small local coins, and once a local (small) grocery store had a register meltdown and wasn't able to process any cards (for the locals as well as us). At the gite we had for ten days we opted to pay the caretakers for the cleaning, which wasn't included in the rent. That was 100 euros in cash. (We were a party of seven.) In Turkey nearly everyone in our tour group had to get some money from an ATM about halfway through the trip because of tips and small market stall purchases. (And toilets also!) In Egypt we used cash for the tips for the boat crew on our fantastic 7 day Nile cruise.
As one poster said, better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it.
I never use an atm at an airport. There is usually a line and depending on the ATM, the exchange rate and/or fees could be a pain. I use an ATM that partners with my bank (e.g. B of A: in France I use BNP Paribas, in Chile, Scotia Bank) and avoid any fees that way.
If I have any cash left I spend it down or keep it for my next trip. (Last time at CDG we bought some pastisse at the "duty free" shop with leftover euros and the bottles were delivered to us on the plane. Problem solved, and repeatedly enjoyed post-travel!)

I travel to Europe in the spring and November. How long will you be gone and where will you be going? Where do you live? Where are you staying in Paris--hotel or apt? How much luggage will you have? Do you need to tip anyone? Cab or Metro?

First time you can get euros from certain banks in the US. Yes Bank of America offers foreign currency and talk with a friend about that on Wednesday as a matter of fact. There she had no transaction fees and got a fab rate but she had to have $100K in an account, etc. So you will need to check in your area what bank can help you. Most times it is fairly expensive although the more you exchange the less expensive it is. I lived in Austin, TX the last time I had to get euros and it was a struggle to find a bank for a non-customer.

I always do have euros on me--$20-60 from previous trips. That said you can pay for the Metro ticket from the airport to town by card or even a cab I would imagine. i always use booking.com for my apartments and if they are not paid in advance are paid upon arrival. If met at apt, you might need to pay the city tax in euros but check to be sure. I've had apt where I was told to leave the city tax on the kitchen table when I left! If staying at a hotel, you can pay by card.

Before I leave for the trip I always know where a bank is around my accommodation and get as much as I need. Say NO to the conversion rate and if they don't offer mixed bills ask for an odd amount so you get some smaller bills than 100E.

I may be particularly anal but I dislike using a card. I have a croissant and cappuccino every day around 930-10am and for 5E hate to use a card, Street for lunch--generally prefer euros. Gelato in the afternoon, again 3-5 euros in cash. Since I travel alone and rent apt, supper is usually made at the apt from groceries I have on hand (yes, could be paid for by card). Water, coke, bathroom, need euros.

As an aside, travelled to Edinburgh last year, total card transactions with some shops even saying card only or no cash! Same in London. It got slightly better in Amsterdam and by the time I got to Paris I was even asking if they took euros and they looked at me like crazy American. So maybe Paris is heading that way! I was in Provence for the month of March 2024 and rode the bus a lot--euros for the bus. Small towns and villages--euros. Markets--euros. Church visits to light a candle or make a donation-euros although have seen some cc machines for that.

I will say I have never been a fan of credit cards and now live in a small mexican beach community where we use the mexican peso so am more familiar and comfortable using cash. Just my experiences.

Yes, for the unexpected. I would take in cash what you need to get to your first lodging. In 2023 we ended up in a mess at Heathrow. The cabs from the airport accepted cash but the rides back did not. It wasn’t a situation where we had unlimited access and the drivers did offer to take us to an ATM, but now if we are connecting through the UK we carry pounds as well. It’s not something that is going to happen every day, but the unexpected does happen. Consider your own comfort level.

Don’t buy more than 200 euros

I got that many out of an ATM last trip. I have 70 left for my next trip

We mostly used credit cards on our most recent trip (Italy 2024). For just about everything including metro tix in Naples and gelato at any gelateria.

Our credit cards gave us better exchange rates than Italian banks gave us when we bought Euros. And we had no foreign transaction fee cards. So, check what fees are associated with your cards and maybe get a better card if you need to. BTW, our Costco card gave cash back on our Italian purchases, too.

That said, I am more comfortable having 40 or 50 Euros in my pocket when we land, just in case.

You have gotten much advice, so I will keep mine short. First trip I got some Euros at the first arrival airport. Terrible exchange rate.
Since then we get them only at bank ATMs.

The most important thing to do is to notify your bank Before you leave that you will be using ATM's overseas. Tell them what countries you will be in and the dates. I do this a week before we leave and then call them Again 2 days before departure and have them read it back to me. Good thing to do because the first time I did a recheck they had noted we were going to Slovakia instead of Slovenia.

I do this exact same thing for each credit card that we will be using.

I hope you have a great trip!

Mimi

Personally, I think if you are traveling anywhere in Europe without some cash you may be doing it wrong. Flea markets, brocante, a coffee, food markets, small tips at restaurants, a quick taxi across town, small local establishments that don't take CC, STREET VENDORS.... I could go on. Are you going to pull out Amex to pay the bouquinistes in Paris?

i realize it's fashionable to say you never need cash, but i wonder if those folks are having a true, local experience or just skimming the surface.

"Personally, I think if you are traveling anywhere in Europe without some cash you may be doing it wrong."

Generally that makes sense, but to say "anywhere in Europe" is not quite right. The UK, for example, you can easily do without cash - even the smallest markets and vendors take (and often prefer) card. So hard to generalise across the whole region, although having some cash doesn't do any harm, and even in the UK it's not like you won't be able to spend it.

The original question was specific to France, though, I do appreciate.

No, when we travel, we are not just "skimming the surface" and we do feel like we have local experiences. It has gotten to the point that in some places we've traveled that vendors (even "Street Vendors" do not even want to take cash. Best, to avoid lumping all locations and generalizing on travelers. And, I'm not saying we don't pick up and carry cash at some point. We just don't start most trips with a wad of cash.

... should we purchase Euro's before our trip?

In my opinion, yes. The most recent technology "glitch" affected some banks as well as airlines and other companies. Better to have Euros in hand upon arrival and not need them, than arrive without them and find youself in the middle of a "glitch". Technology is great when it works as it should, but it doesn't always behave.