luna

Hi Fodorites,

The boyfriend and I are in the planning stages of an 18-day to 3 week trip to Villefranche-sur-mer in early October. His preferred way of handling money when outside Canada is to use traveler's cheques in USD, whereas I have had no problems in the past (in Portugal, Italy, Mexico) and find I get better exchange by using ATMs to withdraw what I need.

My question is, will I be able to find ATMs in Villefranche? Or will I need to travel to Nice proper to get cash?

Thanks in advance.

Jeff801

Yes. No.

There are ATM's in several locations in Villefranche-sur-Mer. If memory serves, they are all on or at a corner on the N98.

Linda431

You will have an easier time finding an ATM than the BF will have finding someone to take travellers checks. Try to talk him out of it. (I know, fruitless venture sometimes. )

Michel_Paris

You'll pay to get the USD TCs, you'll pay when you convert them in France, and you'll pay again if you convert what's left when you come home. You'll have to take time away from touring and find an open bank that hopefully will convert them...what was the advantage of them again ?

StCirq

There are ATMs on just about every street corner of every village, town, and city in France these days, Villefranche included. By comparison, it's practically impossible to find a place to use traveler's checks, and you can waste a lot of vacation time and money standing in queues at banks to cash them. Really bad choice except as a backup for a total emergency.

luna

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I figured I'd be okay, but wanted to verify.

As far as the travelers cheques go, boyfriend is, despite being only in his early 50s, an old fuddy-duddy. As Linda431 said, fruitless to try to talk him out of it. He's a hidebound technophobe who needs to have a stick of dynamite set off under his chair to convince him it's time to change his weird old ways.

I will, of course, be discreet and not gloat (too much) when I get my cash from a corner ATM. And when he grouses about standing in line at the bank to cash his TCs, I'll be nice and not tell him "I told you so".

Linda431

Luna, our husbands must be twins separated at birth!

Michel_Paris

Ask him if he gets TCs when he goes to the USA?

luna

I don't have to ask him that, Michel- we spent 2 weeks on Oahu last year, and yes, he took TCs there. What can I say, he's very resistant to change. Despite being more than a year older than he is, I am a geek who is quick to embrace the technologically advanced way of doing things, and I find using ATMs too convenient for words.

Yet another reason why, 17+ years together, we still have separate residences.