Credit Cards & Automotive Travel in France
Jan 13, 2011, 11:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Posts: 29
Credit Cards & Automotive Travel in France
Hello-
I'm planning a trip that will include a fair amount of driving in France. I've of course had the experience of blank stares when trying to use American credit cards without microchips (pouces) and the pleasure of demonstrating how to swipe the magnetic strip . . . and also the dismay of encountering machines where no chip = no transaction. Does anybody know if the péages in France accept non-chip credit cards for payment? And how about payment for gasoline? It's been about 15 years since I've been present for a transaction at a gas station in France so I have no idea how they operate these days.
Thanks, in advance!
I'm planning a trip that will include a fair amount of driving in France. I've of course had the experience of blank stares when trying to use American credit cards without microchips (pouces) and the pleasure of demonstrating how to swipe the magnetic strip . . . and also the dismay of encountering machines where no chip = no transaction. Does anybody know if the péages in France accept non-chip credit cards for payment? And how about payment for gasoline? It's been about 15 years since I've been present for a transaction at a gas station in France so I have no idea how they operate these days.
Thanks, in advance!
Last edited by TravelerMax; Jan 13, 2011 at 11:26 pm Reason: italicization of "pouces"
Jan 14, 2011, 3:58 am
#2
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AA, AS, Hyatt
Posts: 978
TravelerMax,
One of the most coveted FlyerTalk rules, Use the Search Feature is your friend in this instance. By searching the France forum for the keyword "toll" I found the answer to both your questions in this post.
I'll also direct you to the FlyerGuide Wiki article Credit Cards in France, which is a stub article for information such as this.
Finally, note that a microchip is called a puce in French, forcing you to use that nasty vowel that the French so love!
Peace.
One of the most coveted FlyerTalk rules, Use the Search Feature is your friend in this instance. By searching the France forum for the keyword "toll" I found the answer to both your questions in this post.
I'll also direct you to the FlyerGuide Wiki article Credit Cards in France, which is a stub article for information such as this.
Finally, note that a microchip is called a puce in French, forcing you to use that nasty vowel that the French so love!
Peace.
Jan 14, 2011, 6:03 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Posts: 29
This is what I get for typing that late at night - my fleas turn into inches. :-\
Thanks for the Wiki leak - good to know that, except for the minimum purchase annoyances, le Ministre is on my side. :-)
And thanks for the reference to the other post as well. I'm relatively new to FlyerTalk and hadn't even noticed there was a search link somewhere - - - I'd been browsing through pages of topic titles. Again, possibly a 1 AM symptom.
Merci et bonne journée.
Thanks for the Wiki leak - good to know that, except for the minimum purchase annoyances, le Ministre is on my side. :-)
And thanks for the reference to the other post as well. I'm relatively new to FlyerTalk and hadn't even noticed there was a search link somewhere - - - I'd been browsing through pages of topic titles. Again, possibly a 1 AM symptom.
Merci et bonne journée.
Jan 17, 2011, 4:25 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Premier Exec
Posts: 105
Just wanted to make it clear that you can use a non-chip credit card to pay for gasoline in service stations that have an attendant - there they will be able to swipe the card. Where your non-chip card won't work, as the post linked to by imagineertobe states, is in the "pay-by-credit-card" automated gas pumps.
As an FYI, non-chip credit/debit cards also work in ATMs for withdrawing cash.
As an FYI, non-chip credit/debit cards also work in ATMs for withdrawing cash.
Jan 17, 2011, 6:28 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Posts: 29
I've certainly run into the reluctance / confusion but explained how to use the strip and got it all resolved. I'm set for the refusal bit with the legalese link from a prior response. ;-)
In my several trips to France in the last few years, I've not run into any credit card issues except for a hotel releasing their authorization and trying to recharge while the host bank's computers were down . . . and the Hilton just had to wait until daylight hours in the US to re-run the charge. :-)
I'd just not tried to do anything automotive with credit cards in France before so we'll see how this goes. :-)
In my several trips to France in the last few years, I've not run into any credit card issues except for a hotel releasing their authorization and trying to recharge while the host bank's computers were down . . . and the Hilton just had to wait until daylight hours in the US to re-run the charge. :-)
I'd just not tried to do anything automotive with credit cards in France before so we'll see how this goes. :-)
Jan 17, 2011, 6:35 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Homebase: CAE - Formerly, YUL
Programs: US CP, UA, HH Gold, Marriott Plat, DL, AA, CO, ++
Posts: 2,187
Last time I was in France I had a fair amount of problems using my US non-chipped cards in the gas stations without attendants. I would suggest trying to find a US bank that has chipped cards.
If my memory is right, non chipped credit cards are accepted in "les postes de peages" (toll booths).
HTSC
If my memory is right, non chipped credit cards are accepted in "les postes de peages" (toll booths).
HTSC
Jan 18, 2011, 1:02 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DCA
Programs: AA, AS, Hyatt
Posts: 978
Last time I was in France I had a fair amount of problems using my US non-chipped cards in the gas stations without attendants. I would suggest trying to find a US bank that has chipped cards.
If my memory is right, non chipped credit cards are accepted in "les postes de peages" (toll booths).
If my memory is right, non chipped credit cards are accepted in "les postes de peages" (toll booths).
Regarding US banks that offer chip cards, you can browse this thread:
Does anyone in US offer Visa/MC Chip & PIN?
I believe the current status is that the UN Credit Union (membership required) and Travelex both offer a product, but no other US bank does.
Peace.
Jan 20, 2011, 7:28 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
They are accepted at the manned booths, but not the automatic ones. Those require chip cards. However in Italy and Spain, the automatic booths accept anything, even Amex!
Jan 20, 2011, 8:43 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Posts: 29
Jan 21, 2011, 4:43 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Paris
Posts: 577
This page has links to all the operators' websites, in case anyone wants to research a specific area:
http://www.autoroutes.fr/lasfa.html
Jan 21, 2011, 7:25 am
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: Seat 1A, Juice pretty much everywhere, Mucci des Coins Exotiques
Posts: 34,339
It depends on the operator of the highway. It seems that each one has slightly different possibilities. I have been able to use AmEx on most of them, but not all. I don't recall a problem with non-chipped Visa either, since you don't have to put in a PIN, but it's been a while. Actually, on the routes favoured by the German and Dutch to get to the south, it would surprise me if non-chipped cards didn't work in the machines.
I know for sure it won't work on the A6, and the last time I was on the A8 it didn't but that was a while back.