Currency converter in France: live exchange rate
When traveling, currency conversion is often a necessary solution for obtaining foreign currency. Thus, French people traveling outside the euro zone resort massively to currency exchange each year.
You are in this case, and you wonder what is the best way to convert your currencies in France?
We explain all about currency conversion in France in this guide: how exchange rates work, fees, reviews and much more.
How does the exchange rate work?
The exchange rate shows the cost of exchanging one currency for another currency. The exchange rate is constantly changing, with currencies constantly being exchanged and traded on the markets around the clock.
The exchange rate of one euro into the US dollar, for example, constantly evolves upwards or downwards, in the same way as the price of a share, gold, etc.
How to read an exchange rate?
The EUR / CAD exchange rate is for example the exchange rate euros - Canadian dollars. If it is 1.19, it means that one unit of the euro currency is equal to 1.19 units of the Canadian dollar currency. If you have €100, this will entitle you to 119 Canadian dollars.
So you will get more Canadian money. The value of the Canadian dollar is lower than the value of the euro.
Currencies are constantly traded in pairs. The order in which the currency pair is quoted is fundamental since it determines which currency you want to trade against which other.
You will often hear about the following currency pairs:
- EUR / CAD: euro exchange rate - Canadian dollars
- CAD / EUR: Canadian dollars to euros exchange rate
- USD / CAD : Euro to Canadian dollar exchange rate
- CAD / EUR: Canadian dollars to euros exchange rate
- USD / GBP: US dollars to pounds sterling exchange rate
- CAD / USD: Canadian dollar to US dollar exchange rate
The exchange rate is therefore used as a benchmark for currency conversion calculations.
How to calculate an exchange rate?
To calculate an exchange rate, you have three steps:
- Estimate the amount you need to exchange in your local currency;
- Know the interbank exchange rate applicable to the currency pair of your conversion (example 1 € = 1.47 CAD dollars);
- Calculate the conversion yourself or see an online currency converter that allows you to do it quickly.
How do I know today's exchange rate?
The interbank exchange rate is the average market exchange rate applying at a given date and time. It varies constantly since it depends on the mass of money 1 vs. 2 currency available on the exchange markets, for buying and selling.
To find out the actual exchange rates, you can go to sites like Reuters.com, which update the exchange rates constantly.
Where to exchange currencies in France at the best rate?
Many French banking institutions offer to exchange your currencies online. The other alternative to buying currency online is to go to a foreign exchange office in your city. Whether you are looking for an exchange office in Paris, Montpellier or Toulouse, you can always go to your bank's branches and ask for currency conversion.
Can I exchange my currencies free of charge?
No. It is not possible to exchange currencies free of charge. All exchange offices, banks or funds transfer companies are remunerated on currency exchange operations. However, some exchange offices allow you to exchange your currencies at a lower cost. All these costs are to be taken into account when converting currencies.
Can I exchange my currencies online?
Of course. And we strongly recommend that you do this through an online currency converter. This saves you a trip with a large sum of money on you. The amount of currencies that can be exchanged with a currency converter can be capped (often a few thousand euros for example in France).
What is the delivery time for currencies in France?
You will be able to obtain your currencies within 3 to 10 working days depending on the exchange office. Banks generally take longer than money transfer companies. Some currencies can only be withdrawn when you are in the country in question, this is called a closed currency.