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On recent travel I have mostly relied on credit cards for everything, except in New York where I found a lot of people expect / prefer cash for tips.

How much is cash likely to be necessary / preferred in France, specifically in Disneyland Paris, large Alpine ski resorts, and service stations etc en route to those destinations?

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    There are 3 questions here: tipping in Disneyland, in ski resorts, and in service stations, but the overall theme seems to be tipping, and the culture varies with the country. There is advice in Tipping in France. But generally, if you are tipping a person it should be in cash, although some establishments have a tip-sharing scheme where it can be added to the bill. You'll always need some cash with you, even though most bills can be paid by card.
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Oct 9, 2023 at 20:32
  • My rule of thumb is that if tipping is expected to be in cash only, I don't tip at all.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Oct 9, 2023 at 20:35
  • @JonathanReez and what if a tip isn't expected, but you want to give a tip for service?
    – Weather Vane
    Commented Oct 9, 2023 at 21:47

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Disneyland Paris is easiest to answer, as it's just one business. Their website states:

All major credit cards including American Express, Mastercard and Visa are accepted across Disneyland Paris including shops, restaurants, Disney Parks and Disney Village. We would recommend Euro currency for purchases at smaller food and snack stands within the Disney Parks.

Unlike in the USA, each venue in French ski resorts is typically an independent business. You should have no problem buying your lift pass or supermarket shop on card, but you might still find the odd small business on the mountain that is cash only, or one that accepts cards but is having trouble with their internet connection. Having a moderate amount of cash (e.g. €30) would cover you for that scenario.

Similar applies to service stations. Large chains on major routes will accept cards. An independent cafe in a village might be cash only.

Make sure you check what your card provider charges before using a card abroad, both for transactions and for taking cash out at a cash machine (ATM). The right card can offer a very good rate, but the wrong card could add hefty per-transaction fees that could double the price of a cheap item such as a bottle of water.

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  • each venue in French ski resorts is typically an independent business => in my experience this is also the case with US ski resorts, there are some resort-operated restaurants/shops but most are independent.
    – JonathanReez ♦
    Commented Oct 9, 2023 at 21:48
  • Note on cash from a credit card. This is called a "cash advance" and is one of the worst ways to get cash. Interest rates typically starts immediately (as in, you have hours to pay it back before interest hits), and the rate is even higher than normal. All cards have this note about cash advances and they're a very bad deal.
    – Nelson
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 1:23
  • Note that the ability to take cash from a credit card is usually not a limitation of the card, but the ATM and its system. They just don't want to deal with connecting to a credit card transaction system, so they disallow it. It really has nothing to do with the card unless it explicitly forbids cash advances.
    – Nelson
    Commented Oct 12, 2023 at 1:25
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Gas stations, toll booths, most shops take Visa and Mastercard (do not expect to be able to use American Express etc.). In some cases (automatic machines especially) it may only work if you have a chip on it. You will need a PIN (4-digit will work, unsure about other lengths).

Machines for card payment rely on a network connection that may not be available in certain circumstances, so it's always wise to have some cash.

In France, there is no provision for tipping by card. Service is always included on restaurant prices. If you wish to leave an extra tip, leave it in cash on the table.

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