international phone cards

For France, you can purchase phone cards at a Tabac, which is kind of like a convenience store without gas pumps.

Find a store that looks like a news stand, they also sell tobacco and are usually called some version of tobacco store. They will have pin cards at or behind the counter.

I've had good luck with cards that only work in one country. I get the lowest denomination I can and ask the person I buy it from where to find a phone to use it. The clerk will probably point directly to a bank of phones within sight.

I've noticed not all pay phones work and the ones that do don't all take the same kinds of cards. While you are there, look for a clue (such as a logo) that helps identify this phone with your card, it will help you find another phone that works later.

The card has instructions printed on it, follow those and it works well.

If it doesn't work, assume it's the phone and try another one until it works. As I recall the ring sounds like a busy signal so don't hang up right away assuming you're not getting through.

Thanks for the replies. I haven't had any experience with purchasing phone cards in France, which is where I will mostly be this year, but in Germany last year, I finally was able to purchase a phone card in a Tobacco shop, but found it was not a very good deal at all. On the other hand, I have had very good success in both Austria and Switzerland, where you can purchase them at the post office and they get very good rates, but of course it is only good for that country. I was hoping this time to find something in the states before I left, for which I could know what rate I was paying and it could be used in more than one country. Any other ideas?
Penny

If you want to buy something before you leave, Costco sells a very good international phone card for $30. It works in many countries. This past month, we used it for calling the U.S. from France and Italy, and I believe that the $30 translated to about 120 minutes. (If you use those up, you can recharge it by phone).