so....who pumps gas in france ??? is there attendant or does the car owner ? thx

99% of the time, you pump the gas yourself. Only in the smallest rural stations will a person pump the gas.

I think the car driver is more likely to pump the gas than the car owner, though. All of my cars are rented.

And those 99% of people who pump their own gas do it in supermarket stations, where it is much cheaper than in regular gas (petrol) stations.

<<And those 99% of people who pump their own gas do it in supermarket stations, where it is much cheaper than in regular gas (petrol) stations.>>

True, but most American travelers can't do that because their cc's don't work at those pumps.

ok....>>>>True, but most American travelers can't do that because their cc's don't work at those pumps.>>>>>
so as an american, with american cc's whats the best for me to do ???
much cheaper ? whats the gas prices now ?
thanks again

<<but most American travelers can't do that because their cc's don't work at those pumps.>>

Virtually all of the supermarket or "grand surface" stations have a row of pumps accepting credit cards and a row of pumps where one pays an attendant upon exit. The attendant accepts any credit card with or without chip.

Those with magnetic trip credit cards must be careful to keep their fuel tanks near full, particularly when approaching holidays and week ends.

Well, I must have the worst luck in the world, then, because I've only once or twice happened upon a supermarket station where the attendant was actually there, and my card still didn't work.

<i>whats the gas prices now ?</i>

At the moment, Unleaded 95 is about 1.20€/liter in hypermarket stations and 1.28€/liter in normal stations.
Diesel (which is what most cars use in France) is about 0.97€ at the hypermarkets and around 1.08€ elsewhere.

Confirming that pumps at supermarkets are usually (always in my experience here in the Dordogne) staffed when the store is open. And I don't know why a tourist card wouldn't work with the attendant, as it's the same process as using your card in any store.

So as long as you fill up during business hours, you're fine.

Okay--here's the situation in the far Southwest, in and around St. Gaudens. At the supermarkets/hypermarkets, when the station is staffed, your non-chip cards will be accepted.

However, we have noticed several stores are no longer staffing the gas stations between 12 noon and 2:00 even though the stores are still open (Intermarche. Leclerc). When unstaffed, only chip and pin cards are accepted at the pumps.

Kerouac is correct about the prices--try to find a supermarche rather than a Total or similar as diesel (gazole) is about 8-10 cent cheaper per litre, which really adds up with a 40-litre tank.

BTW, Leclerc takes American Express although have not tried this at the pumps.

They don't exactly hire rocket scientists to work in service stations, so if you are off the tourist trail some of the attendants might try to stick your card in the chip slot even if it doesn't have a chip. If you see them doing this, you have to indicate to them that they have to swipe the magnetic strip in the slot on the side.

It is now common to have to produce identification when you are using a card without a chip.