Problems Using Visa Card in Paris?
 

Has anyone found it difficult to use their Visa card at restaurants, hotels etc? The reason I ask is that a friend just returned from Italy (Milan and Florence) and said places would accept Diners Club and not Visa or Mastercard. <BR><BR>Going to Paris in May and wonder if its also a problem there.

I used both Master Card and Visa in Paris on two different trips. The only problem I had was in a little restaurant where the waiter said my Visa card would not work. (The same card had worked before I went in there, and it worked afterwards.) I gave him my Master Card and all was well. I suggest carrying two different cards, just in case.<BR><BR>I can also make a case for having a couple of traveler's checks too.<BR>When the waiter initially came back with my Visa card he was quite excited about the whole thing. I pulled out my wallet to find my other credit card. In the process I put a couple of traveler's checks on the table to get them out of the way so I could search. When the waiter saw the checks, he was relieved to see that I at least had money. When the other card worked he was all smiles.<BR><BR>I never heard of Diners Club being accepted in preference to Visa or Master Card, or that both Visa and Master Card were excluded. That certainly has not been the case in my travels to France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, and northern Italy. <BR>

In lots of traveling in Europe and nearly wearing out several credit cards we have found a number of places that would take Visa but not Master Card. Sometimes I thought it was because they didn't realize that Master Card was like EuroCard, but in a couple of cases they told me they don't take Eurocard either, just Visa. And in all my travels we have twice been told in Europe -once in Stockholm but I forget the other place- that they would take American Express but not Visa or Master Card. I have never heard of taking Diners but not the others, but anything is possible.

First of all, most places, whether restaurant or hotel, would rather take cash over CC because of the transaction fee. Individuals would translate "would rather" into "must be" depending on convenience. Advertise that they would take CC but lo, when it comes to paying, the machine suddenly stops working.<BR><BR>Regarding Visa vs MC, a hotel in Germany told me bluntly why he "rather" take VISA over MC, VISA transaction fee for him was lower than the MC. He took my MC, but he could just as well said they only took VISA, or pretended that MC card did not work that day and that the transaction needed be done by VISA or cash.

I've practically worn out my Visa card from use all across western Europe. Tho I carry 3 card (also MC and AmEx) the Visa is almost always the card of first choice. I find very little call for the MC and next to zero for AmEx. This would apply to Paris as well as Milan and Florence, I, too, am surprised at your friend's experience.

Bob, Was your friend travelling alone? I rarely used my credit card when I was in Italy because there was usually a minimum balance that I didn't meet.

I have used VISA extensively in France and throughout the world, and Mastercard some in France(as I now have a new card with FF miles and no transaction fee) and have never once had a problem with either -- of course, I haven't used the MC much yet. Both are common, it seems VISA is accepted slightly more. Your friend has weird experiences or frequents odd places, I think.

I agree with Coco. My experience is that the two most-widely accepted cards are Visa<BR>and Am Ex, but Visa out front by a mile. MC is also accepted at many places, and then Diner's. <BR>Discovery not much if at all.<BR>Your friend's report re DC only is unusual, not the rule.

I just returned from a week in Paris Sat (Nov 24) and had no trouble at all using Visa. I preferred to use my Amex (and did use it a few times) because of the double miles promotion going on now but not all places would take it.<BR><BR>I did have a problem with the ATM machines (and I tried at least 10 one day), I have a very large daily limit but they would only give me 800 FF (approx $108) at a time. When I returned home and checked my bank, I was charged twice for the francs that I asked for but did not receive. One of the ATMs that charged me was at CDG, right outside of the arrivals gate. I don't know which other ATM charged me but my bank is filing a dispute for me.<BR><BR>So, be sure to save your ATM (and credit card, too) receipts.<BR><BR>Paris was cold but not miserable and we had a great time.<BR><BR>Sandy

We were in France at the end of June and had problems with our credit cards. We were told by a French friend that the machines they use need servicing or repair but they are unwilling to put the money into them since they are going to the Euro in January. I don't know if it is true but we had problems in several places but luckily didn't end up washing dishes.

AGM's experience reminded me of one of the quirks of credit card system in France. Unlike in other countries, retailers there have to provide and pay for their own terminals, rather than having them supplied and maintained by banks or cc companies. Hence there are many machines that are badly maintained or out of date, and greater chance of your transaction not going through, even though there's nothing wrong with your card. Also French terminals only read smart cards with embedded chips issued in France, as they use a different system to the one that is internationally adopted. They will eventually change over, but given the situation I've described, it may be many years before all terminals are converted. Also I think I'm right in saying that both Visa and MC are handled by the same processing company in France, Carte Blue. So there should be no difference in using either card for purchase (I'm not talking here about getting cash with ATM card), and both should be equally acceptable, in theory at least.