Yesterday I read an article in newspaper regarding difficulties incurred when using U.S. issued credit/debit cards because they don't have the security chips. We are leaving next month for France and were planning to use mostly ATMs. Has anyone encountered a problem recently with this? I am aware of the automated machines not accepting the cards...we can use cash for those, in need be..IF we can get cash from the ATMs!!! And, yes, our cards require a pin. Thanks for any info.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23778 posts
ATMs are no problem. Please scan back a couple of days under General Europe and you will see this question asked and answered a dozen times. Everyone read the same article.
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10993 posts
We use our US cards everywhere in France with two exceptions: some toll booths on the autoroutes won't read the cards, and automatic gas pumps might not read the cards. We go only to service stations that have humans working. The lack of a chip doesn't hinder but it always brings up the subject of why the Americans are using outdated technology.
Posted by
New Haven
1 posts
Having just returned from a couple weeks in Paris and then driving to Normandy, the Pyrenees, then back, I second the other comments. None of the 10 or so times I used an ATM around France (but always Bank Parabat, my US bank and its ATM partner being Bank of America) was there a problem. However, perhaps half the time the automatique lanes of the toll roads rejected the card, sometimes the automatic gas stations didn't work, most retailers knew how to make them work, and we had one restauranteur with a handheld device that flat out wouldn't accept the card. My solution and advice: I preferred to always use the credit card but I always made sure I had 100 Euro in cash on me for these awkward times when the card would not work (especially awkward sitting in the automatique lane of the toll road with "reject" flashing at you and cars behind...but I'll mention that never did anyone honk a horn at us as would have happened here along the East Coast!).
And PS Don't forget to call your credit card company to let them know your itinerary!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32449 posts
Donna,
As you're going to France, you WILL need "chip & PIN" cards if you were planning to use the automated ticket machines at CDG to buy RER tickets. Those machines will only accept the newer credit cards and Euro cash.
However, you can wait in the queue at the ticket office as they will accept older magnetic stripe credit cards.
For ATM use, note that your travel funds must usually be in a chequing account.
Happy travels!