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best way to pay for things in Paris??

Does anyone have suggestions for the best way to handle $$ in Paris?? Which credit cards are readily acepted? Should I convert US currency to Euros and pay cash for everything? Should I bring Travelers Checks and convert them to Euros as needed? Are their ATM machines compatible with US ATM debit cards, or just credit cards with a PIN? Do most of their banks handle currency exhange? THANKS!!!!

Bring an ATM card and 2 credit cards, one as a backup. Get a few Euros before leaving the States. Pay for as much as you can with credit cards. Use ATM's for cash. Don't bother with travelers' checks.

Hi Linda, I agree with Gretchen, except that I suggest you bring $500 in US dollar traveler's checks for 'just in case'. If you don't use them, you can cash them back home.

I agree with BOTH of the previous posters. I do all of the above, so to speak. If flying to Paris, I get a few euro bills before I leave so that I don't have to hunt for an ATM at CDG. That airport within itself is enough of a problem!! I think 2 credit cards are a good idea because only in Paris have I had a credit card rejected as "no good." My ATM card has worked fine so far, and there are numerous banks on the main streets and avenues. I DO take travelers checks because in 5 European trips I have needed them 3 times. On the occasion when my credit card was rejected, the travelers checks helped avert a potentially ugly scene. I had attempted to pay my bill at a small Paris restaurant with a credit card. The waiter returned excitedly saying my card was "no good." When my wife rose to go out and get cash at an ATM, the waiter just about blew a gasket. To calm him down, I showed him several travelers checks. Fortunately, the checks did the job. As I recall we ended up paying with a debit card. Another time I needed paper money, but the ATM at the Zürich airport was not working. The teller window inside the little branch bank was manned, so I converted a check. I like to avoid cashing travelers checks because the exchange rate is not very good. You get the best rates with plastic. Just don't do what one friend of mine did. He did not understand that sticking a credit card in an ATM for money usually results in a cash advance with hefty fees.

Traveler's checks are a waste. In the last 15 years of travel in Europe, I have not come across an emergency that would make me use traveler's checks. If one argues that you could lose your credit cards and ATM card, the same goes with the traveler's checks. Get an extra ATM card and keep it in a separate safe place with the second credit card, so that a potential loss via pickpocketing does not ruin your vacation.

hi linda, for my first trip, I got some british pounds and then purchased american express travelers checks in british pds for the rest. I just didn't feel comfortable carrying all that money around. I did the same thing in francs when I went my first time to paris. here is what I found: While it was nice not to have to worry about the money, it was inconvienent to have to worry about how to cash those checks. some businesses didn't mind, other did. my hotel would cash them, but charged a rate to do so. I usually had no problem using them for purchases in either country, it was cashing them for cash that gave me problems or I had to pay an exchange rate. The last two trips I listened to people here on the board and took my check card visa (pulls from my checking account but looks like a visa) and two of my actual visa's. I brought a few pds and francs that I had leftover from my last trip to have for getting started money, but the whole trip I used atm machines for cash and visas. When the trip was all said and done and I saw the results, the atm check card visa got me the best rate on both purchases and atm's for cash. One of the visa companies gave the going exchange rate with no fees on purchases, but charged a $5 cash advance. This helped to alieviate my fear of carrying large amounts of money. I only had one problem with it in paris and that was at a certain type of atm. I just went to the next one and had no problem. now I do wish to caution you, most foreign atms might not work for debit cards or atm cards on saving accounts. I don't know why, but I had heard this before I left and I transferred all my money into my checking account. I am glad I did, because several times I tried to access my savings from the atm and could not. one of my travel companions had done the opposite and ended up having to call home and get hubby to transfer it into her checking account. my recommendations: get a atm card that is a visa check card (not a debit card). works just like a normal atm card when necessary, but also looks and works likes visa to businesses. take some of the foreign currency for that county just to have start up money for trains, cabs etc. take one or two backup visas that have low exchange fees. I charged my hotel bill on my visa's and major purchases and used my visa check card for atm's. make sure all have 4 digit pin numbers and try them out before you leave. and then copy all your numbers and 800 contact numbers and put them in a safe place away from the cards. keep your cards seperate from the rest. I would usually only take one or two with me when I went out, that way if something happened I still had others. by having those numbers handy you are able to minimize any damage by being able to contact your company immediately and still have backup. the travelers checks may be a safe way to go but they are costly and time consuming. Now that I have tried this other method, I won't go back to travelers checks.

I found the most widely accepted credit card is Visa. After touring the Alps in France and visiting many small towns and villages who probably had not seen a tourist in months much less an American, I had no problems with Visa Dp carry some eoros though.

During a month's stay in Paris in May 2001 I used the ATM and Mastercard exclusively. You do need a 4 digit pin number for your ATM. The only recommendation I'd make is to withdraw enough money from the ATM so you don't incur charges too many charges. Not realizing the charges, I withdrew every few days; however, my charges were only about $10 - no big deal. I have always taken about $250 in Travelers Checks ("just in case") and promptly deposited them back into my bank (they were free of charges from AAA). I never buy foreign money ahead of trips (hate those extra costs). There are ATMs at CDG in Paris.

Went to Paris last winter and we exclusively used ATM's and credit cards. Having worked for a credit card company I knew to call the card companies and let them know that we were traveling to France for specific dates and to approve any charges. This avoids the card being denied as potential fraud. We never had a problem.

I took an ATM, visa and AMEX. I left home with $38 american in my pocket and returned with $22. Them money went for taxis to and from the airport. I arrived in deGaule with zero franks and on my way to the shuttle stopped at an ATM and got 120E. I charged the room, taxis, metro carnets, meals and museum passes to my Amex and visa. There was a bank ATM one block from the hotel and I got another 120E (two times) and 60E the last. When I arrived back at deGaule I had about 30E left so the wife and I shopped the duty free shops until she found some cologne she used. it was 14E more than I had left so I used the 30E and charged the 14E on Amex. Done we left all the Euros in france and came home about 5 grand poorer but very rich in experience. I would have gone back the next day!!!! Have fun spend money, like everybody, eat like a pig, sleep like a baby and party like a fool. Mike

Nothing beat cash. I rely on ATM's, but it's always good to carry one of the world's easily convertible currencies (US dollar, Euro, Pound sterling). If one is from the US, that's easy; just bring some dollars. The currency exchange rate in many French train stations are poor. It's better in the airport and at banks. In Britain, it's the opposite. I'm not sure why. Some currency exchange places outside Victoria Station give a better rate than banks (which have high fees which offset the reasonable exchange rates) and airports. Keep some Euros at the end of a trip. If you don't use them in Paris, someday you may use them on a trip in many places from Shannon (Ireland) to Corfu (Greece) and from Malaga (Spain) to Rostock (former DDR)