Cash v Contactless use in France?

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
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MrsHJ
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by MrsHJ »

Ok, got you. But they weren’t begging you to pay in cash I’d assume? The only time I’ve paid in cash was an under the counter deal to get back to the UK via a German holiday flight from Turkey (nothing from that area direct to the UK) when my mum was dying.

It sounds like it wouldn’t suit you if you quite like the folding stuff still but I never carry cash in the uk- find no need for it so for those who are of an Apple Pay etc preference I think it will suit them.
Psamathe
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by Psamathe »

MrsHJ wrote: 27 May 2022, 4:19pm Ok, got you. But they weren’t begging you to pay in cash I’d assume? The only time I’ve paid in cash was an under the counter deal to get back to the UK via a German holiday flight from Turkey (nothing from that area direct to the UK) when my mum was dying.

It sounds like it wouldn’t suit you if you quite like the folding stuff still but I never carry cash in the uk- find no need for it so for those who are of an Apple Pay etc preference I think it will suit them.
Yes. Some domestic flights have been in pretty dodgy "agents" one certainly didn't have a machine (and you can negotiate on price).

I wouldn't say I prefer the folding stuff but travel (rather than cycle touring) most payments there is no option for card (and you've negotiating anyway.

There is also a £1000/m currency exchange limit§. I've always ended-up having to book international homebound flights in US$ which I assume is a currency exchange.

Ian
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MrsHJ
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by MrsHJ »

Bearing in mind the original question was about France contactless is fine. Something like revolut or another card or your choice is good as no charges for contactless transactions in France and no limits even for contactless transactions for the free account.

If you want to spend a thousand quid on a cash flight back from France it may not suit!
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al_yrpal
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by al_yrpal »

I always use my Halifax Clarity card to draw out a lot of Euros as a cash advance...no fees, and then pay the tiny amount of interest charges when I get home. Beats any other method.

Al
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simonhill
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by simonhill »

As I said well upstream, I also use a Clarity Card. It has all the advantages and none (?) of the limitations. I usually travel for well over a month and multiple months each year so need large annual amounts.

Loads of people on TripAdvisor rave about Revolut - so it's popular, but sounds too limited for me.

Discussing cards is valid to highlight good and bad ones. Also pointing out not to accept the offer to take the money charged to your account in £ Sterling; or use non Bank ATMs eg Euronet (Avoid!!).

What has annoyed me is that I have had to move from card to card as rules (ie they start charging) change. The Clarity has lasted a few years and saved me hundreds of pounds over my previous (started to charge) Nationwide cards.
groberts
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Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by groberts »

I'm going cycling in France later next month and wondered if anybody has any recent experience whether cash (Euros) or contactless payments are generally now preferred following Covid-19? Historically I've always liked to carry a reasonble amount of cash but if contactless is now de rigueur then I'll cut back. Thinking of cafes, food shops, camp sites etc.
Jdsk
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by Jdsk »

There's a recent thread:

"France - cash or contactless?":
topics merged by moderator

Jonathan
groberts
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by groberts »

Oops, sorry had forgotten about that = a senior moment!
Jdsk
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by Jdsk »

: - )

Jonathan
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MrsHJ
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by MrsHJ »

As a result of this I did order a clarity card (see, I do listen). One small disadvantage is that I can preload my revolut card so I can cap any losses from it to that preloaded amount. I sometimes give that one to the kids to use for exactly that reason (and I can now give them a revolut card of their own which is more in line with permitted usage).

The clarity card is a credit card so potentially slightly more exposed but much more useful for hotels etc- having said that I’ll probably just take the two cards (revolut and clarity) instead of my UK cards with me so I can protect myself by keeping one set for travel and leaving the other set at home with the family. I can then see how I go with their usage too. I haven’t checked out the clarity online banking yet - I suspect it may be less sophisticated than the other but I’m interested to see.
simonhill
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by simonhill »

Before these get merged

I'm possibly the most recent visitor (left France on Sunday). Cards accepted most places and contactless for amounts under £50 (or €), above that you use pin.

I stayed in one chamber d'hote that was cash only and another that used PayPal, so I gave cash.

Tended to use cash for small amounts eg coffee.

Normally used cc in Lidl, but one day only a very small amount so started to pull out cash. Loudly reprimanded as it was a card only queue.
simonhill
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Re: France - cash or contactless?

Post by simonhill »

MrsHJ, I probably said it before, but you want to pay off any cash withdrawal as soon as it is posted on the account (posted, not withdrawn). This saves paying interest. You can leave non cash payments till statement date.

I do this with a Halifax bank account, so all in one app but can also do by setting up a transfer from your main bank account (I have as fallback).

Halifax banking app is Ok.
slowbiker
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by slowbiker »

Just back from a 6 week tour Caen - Barcelona & return - used contactless virtually everywhere (Monzo - no commission).
Psamathe
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by Psamathe »

slowbiker wrote: 27 Jun 2022, 8:10pm Just back from a 6 week tour Caen - Barcelona & return - used contactless virtually everywhere (Monzo - no commission).
But Fee free is only £200 every 30 days (£200 wont last me 30 days on tour!). If you pay a subscription of £5 per month the fee free goes up to £400 every 30 days. Or pay £15 a month to go fee free max £600 every 30 days. Depends on how you view things but I'd not consider that a viable "fee free".

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speedsixdave
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Re: Cash v Contactless use in France?

Post by speedsixdave »

Also just back from France and Germany. France was almost entirely card- or contactless-friendly, even in little bakeries etc, but as noted above with the exception of (a) some chambres d'hotes, even when booked via Booking.com and (b) tourist tax in some places. I'd keep a hundred Euros cash in your wallet for just in case.

Germany was, surprisingly for me, still much more cash-based, especially in pubs and bars. I'm sure they'd have got the card machine out if I'd actually had no cash but lots of places were still the barmaid with the big black wallet. Felt kinda retro in 2022.
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