# How to pay for fuel in France



## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

Hi Everyone, The subject above says it all but to expand a bit.
For the first time we are going to Brittany in June for a couple of weeks. Can anyone tell me how to pay for fuel. I believe I can,t use an ordinary UK credit card (Mastercard or Visa) Is this the case or only not able to use them in unmanned filling stations for the machines. Should I just carry a large amount of cash to pay which I would prefer not to do. And whilst I am on the subject what about using UK credit cards in other esatblishments such as supermarkets etc.
Any advice gratefully received 
Thanks. David

Edited

Not sure how I got this in th Autotrail forum. My mistake somewhere but hopefully someone will pick it up

Edit again, And now someone appears to have kindly moved it to the correct forum. Who ever it was thanks.


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## scouter (Dec 14, 2007)

Hi, 

Most places you can use a UK Credit Card in France. Some unmanned filling stations still won't accept UK cards they are on a previous chip and pin system. 

Note many supermarkets and petrol stations close at lunchtime and on Sundays when you're away from the main tourist areas.

We've only once had a problem being caught on a Sunday and even the service area on the dual carriageway was unmanned, but we paid a local to use his card! 

Generally supermarkets accept credit cards but some want additional id such sight of your passport. C Cards are also used generally in restaurants etc

So yes some cash for emergencies, the rest of the time just get fuel etc when things are open.

alan


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## bognormike (May 10, 2005)

David - moved to France touring!!

You can use Uk credit cards at virtually all service stations in France - you MAY have a problem at some supermarket stations who only do Carte Bancaire cards, similarly some 24 hour unmanned stations have a similar restriction. But these are coming down in number. 

Uk credit cards are acceptable virtually everywhere; be prepared to have some form of identification, (driving licence or a colour photcopy of your passport). Any problems with PIn's should also have been resolved - they are mostly europe wide now.


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## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

Thanks for the prompt replies, very grateful for the comments and for moving the subject to where I should have posted it.
Regards, David.


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## savannah (May 1, 2005)

Just one point of warning.....I USED to use my credit card in France, but after having had it apparently cloned and used in a Bordeaux BROTHEL......to the tune of over € 4000 ( must have been some brothel )......and all the problems later....you can just imagine........ESPECIALLY here in Spain......I now just use cash !

Lynda


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## pippin (Nov 15, 2007)

Lynda - any more details on that brothel please?!!!


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## Vennwood (Feb 4, 2007)

Mike is right,

the number of sites that won't accept UK cards is getting smaller

Do try to use your credit card as much as you can as the exchange rate will be better than the cash rate by a couple of cents per £

Pete


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## Chudders (Jul 5, 2008)

That won,t be a problem for me, I don,t like Broth anyway
Thanks for the warning
David


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## savannah (May 1, 2005)

:lol: :lol: :lol: 
mind you, at the time it was    when I lost the money..........but the Guardia Civil guy said the criminals were DEFINATELY :lol: :lol: :lol: 
lynda


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

Hi it is a good idea to inform your bank etc that you will be using your card abroad and what dates you are travelling.

We had a problem last year when after using our HSBC card about three times the card was stopped, it took me ages on my mobile (talking to some foreign call centre) to sort things out............it is a security measure to make sure that your card hasn't been stolen, it is a good idea but would have been even better had we known they did this before we left.

What annoyed me is that the bank have a mobile contact number for us so why didn't they just check first, we had just filled up with fuel and goodness knows what we would have done had we not got another card with us.

We intend to get a Nationwide Flexi card now.


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

It does help if you have a choice of cards. In March on the way back from Spain we used a supermarket petrol station that is unmanned. The HSBC debit card would not work although it had elsewhere, we tried the Nationwide debit card and that worked okay. Apart from this we have had no problem using either card at a variety of places in France and Spain.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

MikeCo said:


> It does help if you have a choice of cards. In March on the way back from Spain we used a supermarket petrol station that is unmanned. The HSBC debit card would not work although it had elsewhere, we tried the Nationwide debit card and that worked okay. Apart from this we have had no problem using either card at a variety of places in France and Spain.


Hi read my post above, are you sure that they hadn't stopped the card as that happened to us.


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

Briarose said:


> MikeCo said:
> 
> 
> > It does help if you have a choice of cards. In March on the way back from Spain we used a supermarket petrol station that is unmanned. The HSBC debit card would not work although it had elsewhere, we tried the Nationwide debit card and that worked okay. Apart from this we have had no problem using either card at a variety of places in France and Spain.
> ...


I'm fairly certain that the card was not stopped as we used it next day at the Carrefour in Citi Europe.
And I also advised HSBC and Nationwide before we went to Spain.


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

It is true your Bank and Credit cards could be stopped as you really must inform them that you are going abroad.
If not they will suspect your transactions in another country.
We informed our Barclays Bank who said it was a policy that had been in force for sometime.
We had to go in to fill a form out when we went and when we came back.
Our Credit card accepted a phone call.

We had no problems buying fuel or food but I had to show my Driving Licence everytime in France and Spain. 
mavis


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## elvistheelddis (Jan 8, 2009)

Hi,

We are going to europe for 15 weeks and plan to get the post office credit card that does not have any charges for using abroad which i beleieve is pretty unique also has 3 months interest free on purchases.

Pete


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## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

pboustred said:


> Hi,
> 
> We are going to europe for 15 weeks and plan to get the post office credit card that does not have any charges for using abroad which i beleieve is pretty unique also has 3 months interest free on purchases.
> 
> Pete


Thanks for the info I have just applied on line so easy
http://www.postoffice.co.uk/portal/po/jump1?catId=19400177&mediaId=34100665
mavis


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