 |
|
28-03-2011, 15:04
|
#16
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Corsica (France)
Boat: Bavaria 37
Posts: 238
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Quote:
Originally Posted by goboatingnow
Agh Brittany, well that explains it , not really part of France Brittany !!
Dave
|
That is funny : I am born in Brittany (near Saint Malo) and I live in Corsica ... Maybe iI am not really French... Hopefully, my sailboat is in Turkey...
Pete : " providing its not lunchtime 1200 - 1400 hrs when the country stops"
So many préjugés !!!
To get back to the question : I wonder that there are so many automatic pumps in Brittany's marinas ! Do you understand french language to be so affirmative ?
|
|
|
28-03-2011, 15:54
|
#17
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmysaw
|
Hmm so do cars, healthcare. Public transport, women etc.
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
28-03-2011, 16:22
|
#18
|
Moderator

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,715
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacques2
Pete : "providing its not lunchtime 1200 - 1400 hrs when the country stops, So many préjugés !!!
|
Oh I agree totally. That said, its a great way of living and very civilised way to have have lunch  providing you are not sat waiting for the lock into the Arzal whilst the tide is going out. It was probably our fault we should have known the lock would close.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacques2
To get back to the question : I wonder that there are so many automatic pumps in Brittany's marinas ! Do you understand french language to be so affirmative ?
|
I have limited French mainly from school, but were accompanied in Brittany by friends who live in France, so quite fluent.
From Memory we found automatic pumps in places like:
St Vaast
St Malo
Trinite (possibly)
Quiberon
Le Crouesty
Piriac
La Turballe
La Balle
|
|
|
29-03-2011, 02:43
|
#19
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Winter land based UK New Forest. Summer months away. Making the transition from sail to power this year - scary stuff.
Boat: Super Van Craft 1320 Power Yacht
Posts: 2,175
|
Re: Money Matters in France
In 2009 our Visa debit card was fine at every manned pump we used around the Brittany coast, but it would not work with the automatic pump in the Lorient.
We assumed at the time it was a local connection issue.....
Cheers
JOHN
|
|
|
30-03-2011, 01:34
|
#20
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 23
|
Re: Money Matters in France
I've been to France last week (by car only) and couldn't pay with both my mastercard and my visacard at a carrefour station (automatic). A friend could pay with his card which was issued by another bank so it's difficult do recognize the system behind it.
Btw. the same problem in french oversea departements like Guadeloupe or Martinique for cars though I have not seen automated gas stations in the marinas.
|
|
|
30-03-2011, 02:04
|
#21
|
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Corsica (France)
Boat: Bavaria 37
Posts: 238
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Quote:
Originally Posted by tomcat1
|
As renting a car is concerned, my experience is : as soon as you are in a island in Greece, for example, Visa or Mastercard don't work... The reason is mostly that the man wants cash !
In Corsica some pumps are automatic... but only at night ! ,They work normally with cash (or very often whit credit cards) at the opening hours...
Another question is to be sure your bank gave you an international card ...
|
|
|
30-03-2011, 02:07
|
#22
|
Moderator

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Home at Warsaw, Poland, boat in Eastern Med
Boat: Ocean Star 56.1 LR
Posts: 1,840
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacques2
As renting a car is concerned, my experience is : as soon as you are in a island in Greece, for example, Visa or Mastercard don't work... The reason is mostly that the man wants cash !
|
It is true not only for car rentals
|
|
|
30-03-2011, 05:07
|
#23
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Quote:
I've been to France last week (by car only) and couldn't pay with both my mastercard and my visacard at a carrefour station (automatic).
|
Must be your bank, I was there in January, and paid for fuel in Carrefour and Geant in the auto pumps no problem.
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 14:43
|
#24
|
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2009
Boat: Roaring Girl: Maxi 120 ketch, 12 long
Posts: 399
|
Re: Money Matters in France
All my time in France never a problem with UK cards. Is the OP from teh UK or the US 9as there might be different stories for there).
The key issues is your bank charges which vary quite a lot. Moneysavingexpert will give you the best deals at the time you leave. Now the Nationwide flexaccount is NBG we are look at a FairFX card which we can top up online.
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 18:05
|
#25
|
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Hawaii
Boat: Tartan T4400
Posts: 399
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Note that a lot of europe has gone to the "smart" credit cards with a chip embedded in them Most US credit cards do not have the chip just the magnetic strip. So at some locations your US credit card will not work contact the issuing bank to get a european card with the chip in it.
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 18:07
|
#26
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gudgeon
Note that a lot of europe has gone to the "smart" credit cards with a chip embedded in them Most US credit cards do not have the chip just the magnetic strip. So at some locations your US credit card will not work contact the issuing bank to get a european card with the chip in it.
|
Agh does that explain why non chip and pin cards don't work then btw I'd say the whole of Europe had gone chip and pin.
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 18:15
|
#27
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: By the River of Silver
Boat: FPD 1760 LCD 17"screen
Posts: 304
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Have not been to France in ages but magnetic strips have always been a problem in France because of their chip system and some chip readers have inferior inbuilt magnetic strip readers .Not a huge problem but I carried cash when going out alone o a snot tohave to rely on the one card. Amex never seemed to work in smaller places for reasons of damaged magnetic strip or was it the high fees they levy on the merchant??
__________________
We are all in the same boat. Be happy that not everyone is on your side.
Always bear in mind that I am total newbie .
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 18:31
|
#28
|
Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
|
Amex is a joke in France.
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
|
|
|
01-04-2011, 18:37
|
#29
|
Registered User
Join Date: May 2010
Location: By the River of Silver
Boat: FPD 1760 LCD 17"screen
Posts: 304
|
Re: Money Matters in France
Absolutely . But as I was there on business I had to use it
Great though when there is 5 of you and when your card "does not work" everyone else takes out their Amex ....
Improves the vocabulary...
__________________
We are all in the same boat. Be happy that not everyone is on your side.
Always bear in mind that I am total newbie .
|
|
|
08-04-2011, 03:09
|
#30
|
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Lindesnes,Norway
Boat: Lagoon380 Comfort#637
Posts: 716
|
Re: Money Matters in France
i am driving down to france to get our new boat in May,
will use Visa and Eurocard/mastercard
fill fuel on motortway, and to the boat in marinas. as we sail up to Cherbourg from Sables d-olonnes.
Our cards have ID # with pictures at the back and Chip. + you have to use Pin code.
------
The only country i have problems in is Germany, in shops there they dont like any credit card, only the German cash cards. But hotels, resturants , are ok.
But its always nice to have some cash also. as backup.
|
|
|
 |
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Rate This Thread |
Linear Mode
|
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
Advertise Here
Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Vendor Spotlight |
|
|