Europe

Money, cards and tipping in France

Capital: ParisFrench, Catalan, BasqueUpdated October 2026

EUREuro

Money in France

Cards almost everywhere Cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere; some bakeries, markets and cafés set a card minimum or prefer cash. American Express is less widely taken. US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Key facts

Tipping: Service is included by law. Round up or leave €1–5 for good service; nobody expects 15–20%.
ATMs: French bank ATMs rarely add fees; avoid Euronet machines in Paris tourist areas and decline the conversion offer.
Paying by phone: Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely accepted; card contactless limit €50. Lydia and Wero need a European bank.
Price level: about 77% of US prices (World Bank PPP).

Cash or card, by place

Place	Cards	Notes
Paris	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere. Carry a few coins for public toilets, small markets and bakeries that set a card minimum.
Nice	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere. Carry a little cash for markets, small bakeries and beach vendors.
Provence	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work nearly everywhere. Keep small cash for market stalls, village bakeries and parking meters.
French Riviera	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere. Keep some cash for small bakeries, markets and beach clubs that prefer it.
Lyon	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones accepted nearly everywhere; markets, small bouchons and bakeries may prefer cash.
Marseille	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work widely; markets, small bakeries and beach cafés may want cash.
Bordeaux	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere; markets and small bakeries may prefer cash.
Cannes	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere; carry a little cash for markets and beach vendors.
Strasbourg	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere; Christmas market stalls and small bakeries may prefer cash.
Chamonix	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones accepted nearly everywhere; some mountain refuges take cash only.
Annecy	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere; markets and small kiosks may prefer cash.
Corsica	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards work in towns; villages, mountain refuges and beach shacks often need cash. ATMs can be scarce inland.
Aix-en-Provence	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work nearly everywhere; markets and small bakeries may prefer cash.
Toulouse	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry a few coins for market stalls and some small bakeries.
Loire Valley	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere; carry a few euros for markets, small bakeries and bike-route snack stands.
Normandy	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones accepted nearly everywhere. Cash helps at village markets, bakeries and cider farms.
Montpellier	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry a few euros for market stalls and beach snack shacks.
Avignon	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry a few euros for markets and small shops.
Biarritz	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry some euros for markets and beach snack shacks.
Colmar	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work in most places; carry some euros for market stalls and small village wineries.
Saint-Tropez	Cards almost everywhere	Cards work almost everywhere, including beach clubs and boutiques; carry some euros for small bakeries and market stalls.
Antibes	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry some euros for the Provençal market and beach stalls.
Nantes	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry some euros for markets and small bakeries.
Lille	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work almost everywhere; carry some euros for markets, frites stands and small bakeries.
Carcassonne	Cards almost everywhere	Cards and phones work in most places; carry some euros for market stalls and small shops.
Brittany	Cards almost everywhere	Cards widely accepted. Keep some cash for crêperies, markets and small harbour cafés.
Dordogne	Mixed: cards and cash	Cards are accepted in towns, but weekly markets, farms and small village shops often prefer cash.

Quick answers

Do you tip in France?

Service is included by law. Round up or leave €1–5 for good service; nobody expects 15–20%.

Is France cashless?

Cards almost everywhere. Cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere; some bakeries, markets and cafés set a card minimum or prefer cash. American Express is less widely taken.

What currency does France use?

The Euro (EUR). US$1 ≈ €0.89 (03 Oct 2026).

Sources

Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.