# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> Currency & Exchange

How to Change Money to Go to France

France uses the euro as its currency. Therefore, if you plan on traveling to France, you will need to secure some euros as it is not equivalent to the U.S. dollar. Conversion can take place at most banks, but they generally charge a fee. Traveler's checks are an option, but again, you must pay fees to get them. The cheapest way to convert your money from U.S. dollars to euros is to carry your automatic teller machine (ATM) card and find a compatible ATM.

ATM card

Instructions

- 1
  Find an ATM that takes your card. Check your ATM card against the machine. Most ATMs will accept ATM cards that bear popular credit card logos, such as Visa or Mastercard. You can find an ATM in the airport as soon as you land in France.
- 2
  Use the ATM just as you would to take out money in the United States. The ATM machine in France will automatically convert your U.S. dollars to euros and will provide you with the specific number of euros that would be exchanged for your dollars.
- 3
  If you'd rather speak to a person, find a conversion center. In France, conversion centers are called "bureaux de change." They are located in the terminals at most of the airports in France. If you do not have an ATM card compatible with the ATMs in France, or you simply wish to speak with a person, visit a bureaux de change, give the teller the amount of dollars you want converted into euros, and the teller will change the money for you.