I would like to know whether phone cards for use in public phones to make international phone calls can be purchased in Europe. We are going to France, Switzerland and Italy in 3 weeks time and thought this might be a cheaper option for phoning home to Australia than using our mobile phone.

I tried a search on this topic but came up empty. Can anyone help me out on this. Thank you.
Lonhro

Yes, you can, at least that has been my experience in Switzerland and France. I called the U.S. from a Swiss phone booth with a Swisscom card with no problems whatsoever. (You can also send short emails from Swiss phone booths with the Swisscom card, but those are less reliable--an email I sent last week from a phone booth in Basel never arrived.) Also had no problems with the phone card purchased in France.
FYI, save the cards even if you use them up. Some of the designs are quite attractive and they are lots of phone card collectors out there.

Just buy a sim card for you mobile phone for places visiting when you arrive. Switzerland they have the best slim cards to call places search cell phone or sim card GSM

If you have a calling card, your phone company may have service where you can dial a toll-free number in the country you're calling from that connects you to your phone company's long distance system. The call is charged to your phone bill, as though it was a long distance call from your home phone.

In Canada, it's called Canada Direct, and works with a number of phone companies. In the States, AT&T has a service called AT&T Direct. So I'd guess that Australian phone companies have a similar arrangement.

Phone cards for use in the local pay phones are widely availiable, inexpensive, and easy to use. I've bought cards for 5-10 Euro at tabacs, newsstands, etc., in Italy, France, and the Netherlands. All have worked great -- insert the card in the pay phone, which reads a chip and shows how much value remains on the card as you talk. I've been able to make at least four 10-minute calls to the US with a 10-Euro card.
Check with your mobile service to see if your phone will accept European sim cards. If it will work and the price is right, that would be your most convenient option. But if not, the local pay phones are fine.

Thank you all for your advice. It is much appreciated.
Lonhro