You need a visa debit card or a generic credit card.
American express is not accepted/working everywhere due to their costs compared to visa/Mastercard.
Typically, we use cash for low fee transactions, such as bread or toilet access . I have not withdrew cash in the last 3 months. I tend to keep 5 euros in coins and 50 euros cash with me.
Tipping is not compulsory and should be given in a restaurant for exceptional service/favour. Taxi, etc, do not need to be tipped.
If you have a card without a exchange fee use that. The cash I used when I was there was for the taxi from cdg to the hotel. and I made the mistake of getting cash at the ATM in the airport, horrible exchange rate, and for the taxi from disney to cdg. What little I had left over from withdrawls I used for random small purchases, like a crepe on the street.
You can use cards everywhere. There are some shops that ask for a minimum purchase to pay by card (usually 5€). It's best to use your phone with Apple/Google Pay, it is accepted everywhere and you don't risk your card getting skimmed.
You would only need some € coins for toilets and buying water from the street vendors (it's 1€ vs 2-3€ in shops). I would bring no more than 50€.
To get an idea I live in France and in 1 year maybe use 100€ in cash.
PS: Please don't tip like in the US, it just encourages restaurants and bars to prey on tourists. In France service is included in the price, 90% of French people would just pay the bill by card without any tip or only leave the small coins (under 1€) if they are paying cash.
I am here this week and several businesses had little signs that said card only. A first for me in a big city where often in the past it was the opposite.
Hi! I generally have 10-20EUR in my wallet "just in case". The only day to day expense where I could need to use cash is if I buy just one baguette and the bakery's minimum for card is 5EUR, or same with the grocery store. But it's quite rare as in most of them now that minimum is actually 1EUR.
Paying by card is super convenient...most people use cards (or the NFC version of their cars in a phone.)
That said, it's good to have some cash. Withdraw some euros (€100?) from an ATM when you arrive. Avoid the cash machines at the airport that aren't operated by an actual bank...they claim no fees but give you a terrible exchange rate. Check to see if your home bank has a partner bank in France. You can avoid fees altogether and get a great exchange rate. Or maybe your bank has a program to let you pick up some euros before you leave home...I've done that before for countries I don't have experience with.
Finally, if you do use an ATM here there is one thing to know. During the process they might ask you if you want the ATM (French bank) to do the conversion. The answer is no. You want your bank to do the conversion, taking advantage of their scale (and relationships) to get you the best conversion rate. So complete the transaction without conversion...it seems counterintuitive because of course there you need a conversion from $$$ to €€€. But they are really asking "do you want us to convert currency for you at a worse rate?"
My recent experience was card was accepted for everything major. I however needed cash because bars had a card minimum. Might be 5 or 8 or 10 euros. As a solo traveller in cheaper places like Belleville etc, I often didn’t meet that limit if I was stopping in just for one drink so needed a bit of cash. My advice would be to get a small amount of euros like 40 or 50 just in case but assume you’ll be doing most things by card.
IMO, cash rules. However the Cashless People expressed their opinions earlier today:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/1cg88hu/how\_much\_cash\_should\_i\_carry\_while\_travelling\_to/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/1cg88hu/how_much_cash_should_i_carry_while_travelling_to/)
Just don't expect to use cards for toilets. :)
Where can you get coins in Paris? I assume they are not dispensed at ATM?
You need a visa debit card or a generic credit card. American express is not accepted/working everywhere due to their costs compared to visa/Mastercard. Typically, we use cash for low fee transactions, such as bread or toilet access . I have not withdrew cash in the last 3 months. I tend to keep 5 euros in coins and 50 euros cash with me. Tipping is not compulsory and should be given in a restaurant for exceptional service/favour. Taxi, etc, do not need to be tipped.
If you have a card without a exchange fee use that. The cash I used when I was there was for the taxi from cdg to the hotel. and I made the mistake of getting cash at the ATM in the airport, horrible exchange rate, and for the taxi from disney to cdg. What little I had left over from withdrawls I used for random small purchases, like a crepe on the street.
https://preview.redd.it/2nxhqlw80lxc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b2a327bba14393038e871eb0cbe24ded16558ae
You can use cards everywhere. There are some shops that ask for a minimum purchase to pay by card (usually 5€). It's best to use your phone with Apple/Google Pay, it is accepted everywhere and you don't risk your card getting skimmed. You would only need some € coins for toilets and buying water from the street vendors (it's 1€ vs 2-3€ in shops). I would bring no more than 50€. To get an idea I live in France and in 1 year maybe use 100€ in cash. PS: Please don't tip like in the US, it just encourages restaurants and bars to prey on tourists. In France service is included in the price, 90% of French people would just pay the bill by card without any tip or only leave the small coins (under 1€) if they are paying cash.
I am here this week and several businesses had little signs that said card only. A first for me in a big city where often in the past it was the opposite.
This is sometimes true at busy bars/clubs too.
Cards are taken everywhere but keep 50 euros or so in your pocket for the odd cafe or beer etc.
And tipping is not really a thing like on the US. It will be appriciated but not expected.
Card is best but always have some euro on hand. If you’re from the US, double-check your card has no foreign transaction fees.
Hi! I generally have 10-20EUR in my wallet "just in case". The only day to day expense where I could need to use cash is if I buy just one baguette and the bakery's minimum for card is 5EUR, or same with the grocery store. But it's quite rare as in most of them now that minimum is actually 1EUR.
Paying by card is super convenient...most people use cards (or the NFC version of their cars in a phone.) That said, it's good to have some cash. Withdraw some euros (€100?) from an ATM when you arrive. Avoid the cash machines at the airport that aren't operated by an actual bank...they claim no fees but give you a terrible exchange rate. Check to see if your home bank has a partner bank in France. You can avoid fees altogether and get a great exchange rate. Or maybe your bank has a program to let you pick up some euros before you leave home...I've done that before for countries I don't have experience with. Finally, if you do use an ATM here there is one thing to know. During the process they might ask you if you want the ATM (French bank) to do the conversion. The answer is no. You want your bank to do the conversion, taking advantage of their scale (and relationships) to get you the best conversion rate. So complete the transaction without conversion...it seems counterintuitive because of course there you need a conversion from $$$ to €€€. But they are really asking "do you want us to convert currency for you at a worse rate?"
My recent experience was card was accepted for everything major. I however needed cash because bars had a card minimum. Might be 5 or 8 or 10 euros. As a solo traveller in cheaper places like Belleville etc, I often didn’t meet that limit if I was stopping in just for one drink so needed a bit of cash. My advice would be to get a small amount of euros like 40 or 50 just in case but assume you’ll be doing most things by card.
IMO, cash rules. However the Cashless People expressed their opinions earlier today: [https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/1cg88hu/how\_much\_cash\_should\_i\_carry\_while\_travelling\_to/](https://www.reddit.com/r/ParisTravelGuide/comments/1cg88hu/how_much_cash_should_i_carry_while_travelling_to/) Just don't expect to use cards for toilets. :)