Using a credit card in France

Sorry to tell you, but NOT everywhere accepts a debit or credit card even though they have the machine that looks like it will charge your card. Alos, when travelling abroad remember to tell your bank, if not the card gets rejected or your account is frozen and that would be a bad trip!

The reason why most american cards or other foriegn card don't work is because there is a chip in European careds.

When to carry cash:

• paying for metro/RER/bus tickets - avoid standing in lines for the booths and rather pay at the automated counters and yes you can buy your tickets in your language and more than likely your card does not work in the machines :(
• the market because 95% of vendors do not have the machines available
• museums - some don't offer credit card services and finding an atm is often difficult and in the tourist areas the lines will be long
• restaurants if they are mom and pop run, cash is better

Where you can more than likely use your card:

• Starbucks, Sephora, Galeries Lafayette
• big chain restuarants
• train tickets for the Eurostar or to go around France

But I think that it is better to carry around cash and to be safe rather than sorry!