Pay at Pump in France

msianb

Hi,

Does anyone know if any UK issued credit or debit cards work in pay-at-pump petrol stations in France?

Thanks

IB

Fizog

yes they do!!!

msianb

Have they just recently started accepting UK cards? I couldn't get any of my cards to work in France last summer...

IB

Markyt

They had to be chip and pin to work before - if you had an old card that could be why.

mcfisco

My [chip and pin] cards wouldn't work at the big Auchan hypermarket filling station at Grande Synthe around Easter time.

Barter

We are over there a lot & NEVER take the chance that our credit cards, which are new, chip & pin, versions, would work at pay-pumps.

Occasionally there may be some fuel stations set up to accept UK cards at the pump, but more often than not, they don't.

So it's safer to pay with your credit card at the kiosk - there it depends on the particular service station as to whether you use the PIN or have to sign. And it's worth having a second card in reserve, as we've had times when our usual one (Nationwide) has been rejected.

The downside is that you need to watch the closing times - Sundays & evenings specially, but also lunch-times in smaller places.

The motorway service stations obviously stay open & the situation may be different regarding chip & pin, but as they are so much dearer than the supermarkets, being good MSE'ers, we wouldn't know!

eevie

Just like to add that we have never got our new chip n pin cards to work either. We have been caught out on Sun eve when everywhere is closed and we have travelled a long way, but not on motorway. In the past we have asked a French person at the pump to use their card for us and we paid them cash.

Craig_A

I have also very nearly come unstuck a few times and have also had to bribe a local to fill up for us in return for cash. We were told that only French debit cards work in the pumps but they may have meant French credit cards?

Sparky33_2

Having just arrived home from a motorbike trip to Greece, I had more than one hairy moment in Italy and France getting fuel, traipsing around on Reserve, motoring on petrol vapour
It seems that if, like me, you decide to get off the motorways and nip to a local garage for some cheaper juice, you could well be stuck. The garages appeared to be unmanned at weekends but do have payment machines. These machines did take cash, but gave no change, so if you put €30 in and only got €20 into the tank, tough luck! When I did get a bit of help from a local, he put my credit card into the machine but when I went to put my PIN into it, he said it wasn't necessary. Now, the machine didn't like my card anyway so there was going to be no transaction, but is it possible they are a kind of pre-payment card used in these machines? It would make life a little less stressful motoring on the Continent if you could purchase a card with fuel credit on it, and not have to worry about finding a petrol station that is manned or having the correct Euro notes to hand. I can't imagine why else you wouldn't need a PIN number, or maybe there was just a lack of communication between us. (I finally got fuel by giving him the cash and using the pump after him)

Incidentally, I find it bizarre that in some places in Italy/France, they aren't exactly workaholics, nothing stops them knocking off at 5pm, and forget weekends, but then in others they have attendants dispensing fuel for you! It's either feast or famine!!!

TBeckett100

they didnt for me and the frogs liked nothing better to beep at an english gent,

in brussels, charleroi, the automated pumps dont work either

pboae

I've had 50/50 success with them, although Carrefour usually worked with debit cards. I've also asked locals to fill up for me and given them cash. They've always been absolutely fine about it.