Songdoc

We typically rely mostly on credit cards when we travel, but we'll be coming to Paris after working in Northern Ireland and will have been paid in Irish pounds. (FYI, although they have the same value as the British pounds you'd find in England, they are a different currency.) We're thinking we might as well convert our pounds to Euros and use them up in France.

It seems that so many currency exchanges are rip-offs. Any suggestions for where we might get a decent exchange rate in Paris? I don't know if any banks would provide this service.

FYI, I don't think exchanging our money in N. Ireland will be an option because I'll get paid on a Sunday when the banks are closed--and then will head to the airport, where the currency exchanges seem to be the worst.

Merci.

jamikins

Take it out of a bank machine in Paris.

PatrickLondon

Presumably, if you've been working in N. Ireland you'll have a bank account there, in which case you can use your ATM card in Paris to draw money direct from that account, and that is almost always the best deal for value and convenience. Or has this been cash-only work?

PatrickLondon

Another thought occurs. Though it isn't a different currency from British pounds (even though local banks are allowed to issue their own notes), there may be the problem that French banks and exchanges will be suspicious of the unfamiliar bank notes. You may have to bite the bullet and change at least some of the money as you leave, or ask one of the banks that issue the notes if they have an arrangement with a French bank.

flanneruk

Patrick's understating things: regional UK notes are a complete bastard to exchange outside the British Isles.

There's no difficulty getting an NI bank to pay you in English notes, which are reasonably easily exchanged in France (at a cost). Or in getting ordinary people or businesses in Ulster to swap your NI notes, if that's what you've got, into English notes. And it's easier in NI than almost anywhere else outside the Eurozone to get Euro notes from ATMs, while £:€ exchange rates are probably keener in NI than you'll find in Paris (start with the nearest post office, then try your friendly neighbourhood petrol station)

English (and Scottish) notes are widely used in NI, and there's no reason to expect you'll have a pocket full of notes issued by the Ulster Bank.

bilboburgler

"Patrick's understating things: regional UK notes are a complete bastard to exchange outside the British Isles."

Absolutely right. Do just about anything but come away from NI with those notes, in the UK people will take them but with bad grace, in mainland Europe expect "Je suis desolee" which means "go away".

jamikins

Wouldnt it still be easiest to take them out of a bank machine in Paris? If you are getting paid cash just deposit it in your account in NI and take it out in Paris...?

Southam

Another problem: Many bank branches in Paris don't run exchange counters any more, increasing the hassle of trading obscure currencies. ATMs will save you time as well as money.

nytraveler

Haven't you been putting your pay in a local bank account? And can'ts you just use your ATM card to draw that from ATMs in Paris - making the costs as low as possible. Dealing with cash - of any type - is always going to be expensive.

(Sorry - you're not actually PAID in cash are you? Is that allowed? Here everything is direct deposit. Except for very small local businesses you would never get cash and many places won;t even do checks.

sofarsogood

On the off chance that you will be paid in cash on the Sunday, when all high street banks will be closed, you can change your cash for euros at the airport. BUT....

find out which forex company has a branch at the airport and order your euros in advance. You will get a better rate than just turning up unannounced.

flanneruk

There are loads of reasons - some good, some shady, some just reasons - a poster might be getting paid in cash, and for a poster not having, or wanting, a bank account.

None of which are any of our business. The poster told us he gets paid cash, in NI, on a Sunday and wants help in using the money in Paris. Not half-arsed lectures about someone's experience of shopping in America.

As far as I'm aware, there are no banks or post offices open on Sundays in NI anyway. But:

- if you've got time, the Bureau de Change at M&S in Donegal Place Belfast(as good an exchange rate as you'll get anywhere)opens on Sundays. But not till 1300, though it might be worth using the storefinder for other big NI M&S's if one of them's nearer
- or scout out whether any petrol stations near you, especially on main roads leading across the border, do Euro exchange (many do: all are open Sundays
- or ensure that the cash is in Bank of England notes (widely accepted at French banks, though not all branches.) Get some euros with any sterling cash you've got at your airport to tide you over till the following morning, then comparison shop for rates in Paris.

flanneruk

One other option of course is to see whether whoever it is will pay you in euros.

Depends on the circumstances: but when the pound's relatively weak against the euro (as it has been lately) a lot of people from the Republic come across to shop, the province is awash with euros and many businesses want to get rid of them without lining some bank's profits on exchange fees.

Cathinjoetown

Flanner: "Not half-arsed lectures about someone's experience of shopping in America."

So desperate to bash the States you now make up comments or refer to different/old threads?

To OP--Do any of the large NI banks have branches in Paris? Ulster Bank?

bilboburgler

Ulster is part of RBS if that helps, I'd follow Flanner's advice on this one

Alec

Last suggestion by flanneruk seems most promising and possibly money-saving. Or just ask a storekeeper (not big stores as they have central accounting) whether they are willing to exchange your Ulster notes for euro. Most stores that are used by visitors from the Republic take euro, at a pretty good rate (like 1.20 euro to £).

Songdoc

I will be performing a Sunday concert and workshops in Belfast. I will walk away with the cash paid at the door. Sorry--but nothing shady about it ;-). I can't imagine that attendees (who live in N. Ireland) would bring Euros to the event. I will go right from the event to the Belfast International airport--so I figured I'd have to exchange the Irish pounds for Euros after arriving in Paris.

The last time I was in a similar situation I was able to exchange my Irish bank notes for British bank notes at a post office--but obviously that won't be happening on a Sunday. I don't have a bank account with a bank in N. Ireland because I only work there a few days every couple of years.

I have enough Euros to get me through a day or two in Paris. If I have time I'll look for an M&S store nearby. But I'm guessing I'm going to be returning to the U.S. with N. Irish bank notes that will sit in a drawer for a year or two--until my next trip.

Thanks for all your responses!

Macross

I know this is an old thread so don't remind me but instead of starting a new one am adding. My husband is leaving for the UK today, spur of the moment trip and went into the safe to give him some pounds but they are all Ulster pounds. Not worth the bother to take I told him, correct?

janisj

He should be able to exchange them in a bank in London - many merchants will reject them.

Christina

Banks were never the best place to do money exchange in my experience, in any country. I haven't been to London in several years, but there seemed to be plenty of exchange bureaux around (one right across the street from my hotel in Kensington), if you really need to do that.

for example
https://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/index.php

janisj

Christina: >>Banks were never the best place to do money exchange<<

okaaay. But not really relevant. He won't be 'exchanging' currencies like £ to €. He is changing NI £ for regular run of the mill UK £. There is no fee or 'exchange' going on. sort of like changing a torn $20 bill for a crisp new one . . .