I'd copy this over to the General Help forum as well as more members may pop in there than just this one http://www.holidaytruths.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=45

Have done, Many thanks, I hadn't seen this forum before, most interesting

As I live in France, I don't have the experience of using one of these cards BUT I do live in a touristy area, and these cards are not known at all over in my part of France. Any sort of debit card - apart from a card specifically linked to a French bank account - will not work in an automatic petrol pump dispenser.

I would think that eastern France is not yet geared up for this type of financial article, so would proceed with great caution. This may not be the case say in Paris.

Incidentally, 'mum and dad' petrol stations are always much more expensive than those attached to supermarkets, but there is no difference in price at supermarket forecourts between pumps that take cards and pumps that require you to go to a cashier for payment.

My experience shows that non-French plastic is not widely accepted in petrol pump dispensers, but does work (thankfully) in 'holes in the wall'.

Hi, I used the pre-paid Travelex card in the south of France, in summer 2008. The card was easy to use and was accepted in supermarkets and restaurants. The only downside was the lack of security, nobody ever asked me to sign or enter a pin. My father-in-law has his card swallowed by an ATM when he tried to withdraw cash on it, so I didn't risk doing that.

Once you have bought the card, there are no charges added to your payment. The card has Euros on it, so you are paying in Euros.

Alsacienne wrote:

As I live in France, I don't have the experience of using one of these cards BUT I do live in a touristy area, and these cards are not known at all over in my part of France. Any sort of debit card - apart from a card specifically linked to a French bank account - will not work in an automatic petrol pump dispenser.

I would think that eastern France is not yet geared up for this type of financial article, so would proceed with great caution. This may not be the case say in Paris..

Alsacienne mon ami can I offer a different prespective ?? We travel France every year with our caravan and as we do at least 2500 miles (so get 35 miles to the gallon towing) we need to visit the petrol station a lot

We have two cards available an Electron and a standard Visa debit
BOTH work in most petrol stations auto equipment but the Electron is not as widely accepted as the debit card though saying that Tesco in the UK don't take Electron in automatic pumps

Glad you get your petrol Gray! Sadly my only experience is helping out the odd Brit who has tried to use the petrol pumps locally and can't get the petrol!

Alsacienne wrote:

Glad you get your petrol Gray! Sadly my only experience is helping out the odd Brit who has tried to use the petrol pumps locally and can't get the petrol!

LOL
will be over in March and will be getting me diesel again from Carrefour or L'Clerc on the Autoroute and the local supermarche in the village