Travel money tips for France
Here are a few final tips to make your money go further when you’re travelling in France:
Take a prepaid card - choose a provider like Wise to top up your card in AUD and convert to EUR using the Google exchange rate. That saves you money, and helps you budget too
Don’t change money at the airport - airports often offer some of the poorest exchange rates out there, because customers are in a hurry and may not check over the full costs of currency conversion
Have different payment methods available to you - having a Plan B never hurts. Carry a small amount of cash, a prepaid card and a debit or credit card on a different card network, so you’ll have alternatives no matter where you are
Always pay in the local currency - merchants and ATMs may offer you the option to pay in AUD instead of Euros. Don’t. Pay in the local currency, or you’ll get hit with high fees and a bad exchange rate
Watch how many ATM withdrawals you make - it’s common to find ATM fees kick in with prepaid cards after a certain number of withdrawals, so double check your own card’s fee structure
Avoid taking out cash with a credit card - credit cards almost always charge a cash advance fee, foreign transaction fee, and immediate interest when you withdraw cash, making this a costly option
Don’t keep too much cash on you - opportunist theft is an issue the world over, and can be particularly problematic when you’re disorientated, in a new place, and too busy having fun to keep an eye on your wallet
Can I use Euros issued in France in other countries?
Yes, you can use Euros from France in the rest of the Eurozone, and vice versa.
