Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Unfortunately too, for Americans, the dollar is currently
low against the euro and informed opinion is that it will
remain that way for some time. In 2001, the price of one
euro was US$ 0.87, but at the time of writing, one euro costs
about US$1.26. The British pound, however, although having
fallen somewhat against the euro, still remains high. Rates
change almost daily, so it is worth keeping your eye on the
exchange rate.
The Need for Cash
If you are arriving in France from a country that does not
use the euro (including Great Britain), you will need to have
at least enough cash to get into the city from the airport. Try
to buy some euros before your departure, for the exchange
rate at the airport bureau de changes (currency exchange
counter) is usually not advantageous. In many airports and
train stations however, there are distributeurs (automatic cash
dispensers), and if these are linked to banks, the exchange
rate will be that of the bank.
Distributeurs
For those with credit or debit cards, cash is available 24
hours a day at the distributeur (automatic teller machine).
Most have instructions in both French and English. Pictures
of the cash networks accepted (Visa, Master Card, Cirrus,
Plus, etc.) are displayed, making it easy to know which
machines take which cards. Make sure that your Personal
Identification Number (PIN) has four numbers only, which
is the European standard. If you are going to be using
your credit card for cash advances, inquire in advance
about the interest rate, for it is usually higher than that of
normal purchases.
With your card, you may receive cash up to the daily limit
that the home bank allows, linked to the exchange rate.
Obtaining Cash
If you decide to use a bureau de change in the city to exchange
currency, it's worth checking out several, for the rates may
differ even on the same street; in tourist districts they can be
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