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Thursday, July 29, 2010
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Eiffel Tower, Orsay, Monet's Home and Gardens, Versailles, Arc de Triomphe, Seine River Cruise, Mona Lisa, Orangerie, Rodin, and More
EAT PRAY LOVE - See the Movie then Visit TravelingProfessor.com
You may not be able to take a year off to fulfill your dreams but we can all do a week in Paris
Paris With the Traveling Professor in September/October - Click HERE
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Feb
20
Written by:
TravelingProfessor
Saturday, February 20, 2010
In France and in much of Europe, the euro is the standard currency. U.S. dollars are not accepted. If possible, bring some euros with you when you depart for Paris, but it is not absolutely necessary.
Avoid using currency exchange offices in Paris to change dollars into euros. The commissions can be excessive.
In Paris, I advise that you use your credit card as much as possible to get the true conversion rate. However, most banks also charge a foreign transaction fee (about 3%) when you use it. The exception is the Capital One credit card. There are no foreign transactions fees.
Foreign transaction fees apply when you use an ATM. Once again, the exception is if you use the Capital One bank card. There are plenty of ATM’s in Paris and an American-issued bank card will work with them. To be on the safe side, bring at least 2 different ATM cards with you with at least one of them being from a major U.S. bank like Citibank or Chase.
Before I depart for my trip, I always notify my bank that I will be traveling to Europe and using my credit or bank card on the trip. I like to carry about 50-100 euros with me as I depart New York for Paris. I pick up my euros at my local Citibank branch here in New York. Sometimes I need to order the euros a day or two in advance. Technically, there is no "fee" to get the euros, however, they do not offer the true exchange rate. For instance, if the true exchange rate is $1.40 to the euro, they may actually charge $1.48 per euro.
Another thing to take note of is that most automated kiosks such as those at train stations and the Velib bike system do not take American credit cards. They do not have a certain microchip embedded in them that the European cards have.
One more tip: make copies of the front and back of your credit cards before you leave on your trip. E-mail the copies to yourself. In case your cards are lost or stolen, you will have the information needed to report them and get replacements.
Here are two good links on using credit cards and ATM cards in Europe:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/20/your-money/credit-and-debit-cards/20money.html?scp=1&sq=foreign%20exchange%20fees&st=cse
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2006/06/25/travel/25prac.html?scp=3&sq=foreign%20exchange%20fees&st=cse
Tags:
4 comment(s) so far...
Re: Using ATM/Credit Cards in Paris
Bank of America ATM cards incur no fees when used at branches of BNP Paribas which are ubiquitous in Paris.
By Jim Hanlon on
Saturday, February 20, 2010
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Re: Using ATM/Credit Cards in Paris
Schwab charges no fees, or a 1% fee on their cards. It depends which account you have. On a Schwab One account, the fee is 1% for foreign transactions, and any ATM fees charged are free or will be refunded by Schwab if they miss them.
We moved some money from a money market account to one at Schwab bank, and now can use that debit card for 0% transaction fee. Again, no ATM fees either. There was no minimum deposit required to open the Schwab bank account.
By Jan on
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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Re: Using ATM/Credit Cards in Paris
As a Canadian who has visited Paris often (most recently for two weeks in January 2010) I have a credit card (VISA) with a chip so we do not encounter some of the problems you have noted for citizens of the U.S..
Also I use my Credit Union debit card at the ATM machines with no problems. In fact, it has worked in situations where others are experiencing problems with VISA and MasterCard.
By Michael Graham on
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
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Re: Using ATM/Credit Cards in Paris
I had no trouble using my credit unions' debit and credit cards anywhere, and the fees were pennies. Golden-1 C.U. and San Francisco Fire C.U. (both based in California). Capital One may not charge foreign fees but they are LETHAL--miss a payment and you're screwed on the interest rate and late fees!
By BB on
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
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Seeking a bit of timeshare relief can be very easy if you find the right people to help you. If you have tried to sell a timeshare in the past, you know that the resale market is dead and the only way to cancel a timeshare is through the right people.
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| Don't Like Traveling Solo? Join Our Group to Paris In September/October 2010 - Only 5 Spots Left
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| Italy Video Blog - A Tour of Florence
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Florence, know as "Firenze" in Italy, is a fascinating city. It is unique in its abundance of artwork, religious significance, wonderful markets, and great food. Please enjoy this Italy video blogpost and enjoy a short tour of the city of Florence, Italy.
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| What's Inside the TravelingProfessor.Com
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TravelingProfessor.com is one of the most popular Paris travel websites on the web. If you travel to Paris (or just wish you could travel to Paris), take a look at the features on the TravelingProfessor.Com:
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Paris Restaurants |
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Ask the Professor a Question About Paris
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Paris Budget Hotels
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Paris Classified Ads
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To register and get your free copy of The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris, click HERE |
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| The Traveling Professor's Guide to Paris
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If you are visiting Paris for the first time, a time share rental is the perfect lodging option – time shares are more spacious than comparable hotels but similar in price. And after you've visited the City of Lights once, you just may consider purchasing a time share resale so that you can own vacation property in the world's most romantic city!
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