I am considering having about $500 converted to euros before we leave the states. We will be travelling in France, Switzerland and Italy. Are euros widely accepted?

The euro (as you correctly call it in your message--some American imperialist force seems to drive us to refer to eurodollars) is basically an electronic currency at the moment: you can have a bank account or charge account in euros, but it doesn't exist as a currency. Prices are supposed to be given in the local currency and in euros, but it seems to us that restaurants were the most consistent about that, and not all of them do it. American Express doesn't sell euro-denominated traveller's checks. Thomas Cooke does, but at a whopping great commission, so you may want to rethink your plans.

Martha: <BR> <BR>Thanks for educating me. I was under the imnpression that it existed as a tangible currency. What would you suggest I do prior to my arrival in Paris? <BR>We will only be in Paris 2 days before heading to Switzerland and then on to Italy. <BR>I want to be prepared, I have never been to Europe and do not know how hard it is to have currency converted there. <BR> <BR>Thank you for your help. <BR> <BR>Dallas A. Cloud <BR>San Antonio, Texas

Try phoning a few currency exchange offices in your home city and asking about their policy. Last time I went over I found one that would change any unused foreign currency back to US dollars at the same rate I'd purchased the foreign currency and without any additional service charges (I had to keep my receipt to prove I'd bought the foreign currency there). Obviously, if I bought substantially more than necessary, I would still be wasting money unncessecarily on the original service charge and exchange, but at least I was able to arrive in each country with some currency and mimimized the wasted expense of changing back and forth. For two days in Paris, I's bring at least $50 US, just to make sure you're covered for airport buses and taxi/Metro to your hotel, and other little expenses you might not anticipate upon arrival. <BR>

Anyway, you won't be able to escape it : you'll have to change your dollars into French francs, Swiss francs, Italian lira. Even though people in this forum rave about ATMs, I would suggest you change small denominations of each currency, not to be bothered with this kind of problem upon arriving in an airport or a station.

Dallas, I would go the ATM route, they are located everywhere.

Thank you all for your prompt responses. It has been very helpful. I believe that I will convert small amount of currency to French Francs prior to my departure and rely on ATM in other cities. <BR> <BR>

Oops--I just read somewhere that Amex does issue TCs in euros. AAA and my credit union (where I could buy them without commission) don't sell that flavor, however. I assumed it was because they didn't exist. And when you assume...