And I today had to spend yet another hour with my bank 'security' for suspected fraud because I tried to use the card for an SNCF payment. I rotate between 3-4 cards to try and find one which will actually work, and my bank is so helpful that they tend to monthly put a block on one of my cards for my own security.

There doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason as to why one will work and another will not and why one works sometimes and not other times in the same machine or website, just as how I can use my non-chipped card at one Planet Sushi in Nice with no issue but not at most other locations I use in France.

My take-away is that having cash in the wallet is always a good idea.