sonymdplayer

Hi all

I am flying to France next week. Just want to know if France/Paris takes AMEX or Discover card and their acceptance rate there. I have read in other threads that many stores now take AMEX but how about Discover card. My only two cards with no foreign transaction fee are AMEX and Discover. I've also heard sometimes you have to enter a PIN while making a transaction. But since it is a credit card not a debit card there is not a PIN for it. Can you share your experiences please thanks in advance.

I will stay in Paris for most of my days there. Can I use my credit card to purchase Ticket +?

Gagravarr

Your credit cards almost certainly do have a pin, otherwise you wouldn't be able to use them for cash advances. However, without a matching chip, you're unlikely to be asked for it except when taking cash out of an ATM.

You may find the odd touristy place knowingly takes Diners Club (very much doubt they'd call it discover), slightly more places will have their credit card machine able to take it but won't know, and the rest you'll have no hope.

Big hotels and big stores should take Amex, and should be used to "old fashioned" American cards needing a signature. Bring your own pen to sign with, many places it may be rare enough that they'll have to go hunting for one! Otherwise, it's pretty patchy, and you may find that places will refuse to accept an Amex with no chip as one of they're not sure how to do it, can't be bothered with the faff, or are worried about the fraud risk.

Some places will only take French bank cards, and no others, so you'll need cash for those!

I seem to recall that some ticket machines do take Amex, but not all, and I recall at least once having to queue up at the counter to buy tickets with my UK chip'n'pin Amex card

Tamino

Gagravarr is correct about card usage but this can be a difficult subject to explain. Generally, new credit cards issued in the US now have chips and a corresponding PIN (though even magnetic cards have PINs as Gagravarr points out). When using most all US issued credit cards, you will be asked to sign a receipt except when purchasing from a ticket kiosk, ticket machine, or self serve gas pump. These require the newer chipped cards and most will ask for your PIN.

AMEX is generally accepted at exclusive hotels, restaurants and boutiques in Paris. Otherwise, AMEX acceptance is very limited. I am not familiar with a single location that accepts Discover.

aamilesslave

US Chip cards are mostly Chip & Signature. If you're still asked for a pin, you typically hit Enter or Cancel without entering any digits (this worked for me in Portugal, and I don't recall being prompted for a PIN in France).

The only US Chip and PIN card I am aware of is from Target. There may be one or two others, but almost all others are Chip & Signature.

sonymdplayer

Thanks for your explaining, now I know what should I do when it asks for the PIN. ^

Tamino

Card Verification Methods (CVM) of chip & signature cards can vary by card issuing bank. In France, if you are actually asked for a PIN, you will need to use it. This will not happen often. It can occur when making purchases at machines or kiosks. One place which has always required my PIN when using my chip & signature card is at Pay-at-the-pump gas stations.

Another place you may need the PIN is when purchasing métro tickets and these machines only accept chipped cards. As banks may allow small purchases without entering a PIN, I can usually purchase weekly Navigo fares at 22€ without it. If I purchase a monthly fare at 70€, I am inevitably asked for the PIN. Selecting enter or cancel without entering the correct PIN will terminate the transaction and you´ll have no tickets.

If you don´t have a chipped card yet, I would ask your bank to issue you one before you go. Getting a credit card from a bank such as Andrews or PenFed or Capital One 360, which will not charge you currency conversion or foreign transactions fees, would be even better.

Mountain Trader

Tamino's excellant post explains well what you need to know.

I don't look often, but I have never seen a sign in France indicating Discover acceptance.

david55

I got an Amex Platinum card at the same time I had a 3 week trip to France planned.

I could barely find a place that accepted Amex..... and canceled it as soon as I got home.

Capital One is my travel card of choice now.

Goldorak

It all depend where you go. In Paris, the Amex is widely accepted. In remote towns, villages, indeed hard to use it. Visa is king. I do have the AF Amex and live in Paris and use the Amex for 80% of my expenses paid with a CC.

codesinvan

Could not agree more. I travel mostly in France outside of Paris. You can go days or weeks without finding a vendor who will take an Amex. Make sure you have a Visa.

Sisyphus1carus

Father's off to rural France for 3 months and just about to apply for an Amex. Thinking there's no point as he won't have the opportunity to spend £3k in 3 months (for the bonus signup points) in a country so backward it rarely accepts Amex other than in high-end boutique fashion shops in Paris :-(
Will break the bad news to him.

Yahillwe

Have no idea why you are so antagonistic towards France. Many places take AX even rural France. Small towns don't because their banks might not offer it.

AX here is issued by the banks and not AX itself.

Mountain Trader

Dad shouldn't get a Target card either since the French are so unsophisticated that Target has no stores in France. He needs to read the rules more carefully.

So do you: Flyer Talk T&Cs prohibit duplicate posts.

kerouac2

One of my friends who comes to France every year has discovered that her Visa card from Target is the one that works the best, especially in automatic machines like toll booths or metro ticket machines.