Local Tip
Leave airport bureaux for emergencies: a France 2 hidden-camera test, reported by Connexion in August 2026, found central Paris counters paying close to double. Bring your passport.
Where to change money in Paris
Bureaux are thick on the ground in central Paris, notably in the 1st and 2nd arrondissements, Connexion notes. The three firms below all appear on REGAFI, the banking supervisor's register of authorised money changers. Get a firm euro figure, net of fees, before paying.
- ComptoirChange Opéra, 8 place de l'Opéra, 9th arrondissement The firm's currency agency trades from 09:15 to 18:15 on weekdays and 10:00 to 17:30 on Saturdays, as shown in October 2026. Its other shop, at 9 rue Scribe, deals mainly in gold and silver.
- Global Exchange, 5 avenue de l'Opéra and 5 quai Saint-Michel The airport operator's two city counters, each listed as open 11:15 to 18:45; a third is in Gare de l'Est (10:15 to 17:45).
- Interchange, 11 boulevard Saint-Michel and 194 bis rue de Rivoli Saint-Michel, in the Latin Quarter, opens 10:00 to 20:30 Monday to Saturday; the Rivoli branch by the Louvre opens 09:00 to 19:00 (20:00 from May to August). Both also open on Sundays.
Changing money at the airport
Global Exchange runs the bureaux at Charles de Gaulle. On landing, look for its desk in the public arrivals hall of Terminal 2E (06:00 to 21:15) or of Terminal 1 (06:45 to 22:00), as listed in October 2026. Interchange has a counter in the TGV and RER station beneath Terminal 2, open 07:00 to 20:00 daily.
At Orly, Global Exchange's landside counter is in Terminal 1 by gate 21D (04:45 to 20:00). Groupe ADP plans to renumber the CDG terminals in March 2027, so these labels will change.
ATMs and cards in Paris
Paris je t'aime says the big banks' machines take most international cards around the clock, though your own bank may charge per withdrawal; the Banque de France no longer changes currency. If a café terminal or cash machine proposes billing in sterling, stick with euros, as MoneySavingExpert (updated 28 August 2026) advises.
Paying for transport in Paris
Cardboard t+ tickets went off sale in November 2025; load journeys onto a Navigo Easy pass (€2 at stations) or buy them in the Île-de-France Mobilités app. 2026 fares are €2.55 for metro, train or RER, €2.05 for bus or tram and €14 for the airport ticket.
Contactless bank-card readers, a fallback for rare trips, are on buses across Paris and the inner suburbs, at Orly's line 14 exit (since 30 June 2026) and on the Montmartre funicular, and charge more: €3.35 metro, €2.55 bus, €14.80 airport. A card ticket covers one line for an hour, with no changes; metro line 1 is due to follow in July 2027.
Taxis use flat fares: €56 between CDG and the Right Bank, €65 to the Left Bank, and €45 or €36 from Orly.
Good to know
- The FCDO warns of pickpockets on the Métro, RER and at the main stations, sometimes in teams where one distracts you.
- The Ministry of Justice's consumer site says a French taxi must accept cash or a bank card for any fare, and that a tip is entirely optional.
Key Areas in Paris
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Exchange bureaux, banks and cash machines, as mapped by OpenStreetMap. The map loads only when you ask for it.
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Paris travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Paris?
Guides name no single winner, but town beats the airports: France 2 found central bureaux paying close to double. Licensed options include ComptoirChange at 8 place de l'Opéra, Global Exchange on avenue de l'Opéra and Interchange on boulevard Saint-Michel. Compare euro totals and carry your passport.
Where can I change money at Charles de Gaulle airport?
Global Exchange runs the CDG counters. Its desks in the public arrivals halls are in Terminal 2E (06:00 to 21:15) and Terminal 1 (06:45 to 22:00), as listed in October 2026, and Interchange trades in the Terminal 2 TGV station. Airport rates are weak, so a bank cash machine is the alternative.
Can I pay for the Paris metro with a contactless bank card?
Only in a few places so far: buses in Paris and the inner suburbs, the line 14 exit at Orly and the Montmartre funicular. A metro ticket bought by card costs €3.35, against €2.55 on Navigo Easy, and is valid on one line for an hour. Metro line 1 follows in July 2027.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: Service-Public.fr · Île-de-France Mobilités · Justice.fr (Ministère de la Justice) · Global Exchange · ACPR (REGAFI register) · Wise
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