Best to check what charges your bank will apply for use of the ATM etc.
I believe some charge a flat transaction fee for each time you withdraw cash so say £5 everytime you withdraw cash whatever the amount so if you make alot of small withdrawals it can be expensive.
Handy trick is to use your card at the peage - for some reason, there is rarely a queue in the credit-card-only lanes (do French people not trust or not own cards?). We had a couple of occassions when people flew past us on the autoroute only for us to overtake them at the next peage because they sat in a queue for ages in the cash-only lane .
------------- 'In later life, you will be more disappointed with the things you didn't do than with the things you did.' - Mark Twain
Quote: Originally posted by nelmo on 01/9/2010
Handy trick is to use your card at the peage - for some reason, there is rarely a queue in the credit-card-only lanes (do French people not trust or not own cards?). We had a couple of occassions when people flew past us on the autoroute only for us to overtake them at the next peage because they sat in a queue for ages in the cash-only lane .
The credit card machines at the paege dont authorise the transaction which is why it is so quick.Your card is in and out like lightening. Paege machines wont accept pre loaded cards because all transaction on that kind of card have to be authorised. We keep our credit card handy and always head for the left of the paege which is where the credit card lanes are located.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
There was an expert on Radio 4 today talking about exactly this. it turns out that even with the new charges, Flexaccount is 3rd cheapest out of all of them. So will probably stick ..... sometimes life is too short.
We got 1.22 exchange rate when I used my NW debit card in France recently which I think is pretty good considering they don't charge. We used it everywhere.