I confess I tend to be frustrated by the shoppers who wait until the cashier announces the total and only then start to fish in their bags for a cheque book before slowly removing one and handing it over for printing - but, then, I’m on holiday so it doesn’t matter all that much.
I’m not surprised Brits don’t saunter through and have a chat with the cashier though - you need a pretty good level of French for casual chats with the locals, certainly holidaymakers are unlikely to be that proficient.
I often chat, but only when there is no queue! And especially when the cashier happens to be a woman called Carol, who is the only English person I know within 200km. But we talk in French as otherwise it would be rude.
In the towns/villages… the ATM’s are found at the Banks (inside or outside) and not at the shops.
On the other hand, at the Hypermarket/Shopping Malls, you should find the ATM’s are available.
Apparently ATMs are expensive to buy, install and maintain so the financial institution will only install if the market research vibes are positive. We have one in our village which does a roaring trade.
Yes, I suppose the ATM usage is dépendant upon the services in the village. We have a bar, bakers, mini market, paper shop and pharmacie which will help encourage the spending of cash.
I can’t remember the last time I used an ATM outside the very occasional trip to my bank when I might take out a bit of cash when paying in a cheque. Certainly not since 2020, and probably a long time before. They are expensive things to maintain.
When do you use cash? Even market stalls have contactless machines now since covid. A vide-grenier perhaps but often use cheques, the pompiers’ calendar at the end of the year, but can’t think of much else.
Not that many of them in France, and they take cards.
When I first came here none of them took cards, but that has changed hugely and will continue to do so. But one can still use a cheque rather than cash.
I’m sure we can all come up with our personal examples of what/who do accept bankcards…
and similarly for those situations where cash/cheque are the normes…
But it can and obviously does vary across the country…
I noticed one local supermarket has recently installed a cash-counting machine at the Tills… thus no money is handled by Staff; the customer placing notes carefully through the reader and dropping the small change as required… fascinating. Of course, cheques and cards are still ok…
I had to laugh,I went shopping this morning, I’m in the queue 3 people in front of me. 1st up young guy wih a fairly full trolly. All the items checked out he comes to pay by card contactless, doesn’t work , no problem he puts the card in as normal puncnes in the code card refused, try again says cashout woman but rub it a bit then try , card refused, As he had to pay or leave his shopping out comes the cheque book bugger me worked first time.Next up customer pays by cheque next up an elderly lady who paid in cash, Then me who payed by cheque, so tell me you card payers what do you do when your card doesn’t work.
