Cash, bank cards, withdrawals and tax refunds in Nice

Last updated on 09/10/2026by Équipe niceTrotter3 min read

Euros, contactless cards, withdrawals, tipping and tax refunds for non-EU travellers: the essentials for paying in Nice.

We pay in euros, most often with a contactless tap. But a few money traps await travellers, from the "ATM" machine to the terminal that offers to charge you in your own currency.

Paying by card

Each contactless payment is capped at €50 per transaction for security reasons; your bank also sets a daily, weekly or monthly cumulative limit, as well as a maximum number of consecutive payments. Beyond that, you insert the card and enter your PIN. On a phone, small amounts (around €20 to €30) go through without a PIN; above that, the terminal or device asks for one.

The trap hides at the terminal: if the screen offers to charge you in your card's currency rather than euros, it is dynamic currency conversion. La Banque Postale describes it bluntly: the amount is converted at the day's rate, plus a 2.30% commission (plus €3.30 in fixed fees for a withdrawal outside the eurozone). The safest choice is to select euros: then your bank does the conversion, with its own fees.

Withdrawing cash

Machines displaying "ATM" do not belong to a bank: they are independent ATMs, such as those operated by Euronet. Their surcharge fees are added to your bank's and can reach €5 or more per withdrawal, regardless of the amount. The screen must display the cost before you confirm: read it. Prefer a bank ATM, and withdraw a larger sum in one go: fixed fees weigh more heavily when the amount is small. There is no national banking schedule, each branch displaying its own: another reason to rely on ATMs.

Tipping

Since a decree of 27 March 1987, restaurants display their prices "service included": the service charge is in the bill, and the customer has nothing to add. Tipping remains voluntary, a mark of satisfaction. In 2019 the Ministry of the Economy cited a 2016 study according to which 40% of customers left a tip, averaging €5. A few euros on the table, or rounding up to the next euro, is enough to say thank you.

VAT and tax-free shopping for travellers from outside the European Union

Travellers residing outside the European Union can get a VAT refund on purchases made in France, provided they go through the PABLO procedure, managed by customs. The shop hands you a tax-free sales slip, which you validate when leaving the country at an electronic kiosk. No slip, no refund: request it at the till, passport in hand, before paying.

Tax-free shopping at a glance
Who	Non-EU residents, aged 16 or over, staying less than six months
Threshold	More than €100 of purchases at the same retailer, over a maximum of three days
Excluded	Tobacco, fuel, weapons, cultural goods, among others
Validation	By the end of the third month following the month of purchase
Where	PABLO kiosk near the customs service, before baggage check-in
Proof	The message "OK Bordereau validé" ("OK Slip validated") serves as the customs stamp

Purchases must be shown to customs if checked; failing to present them may result in the slip being cancelled and a fine imposed. If the kiosk rejects the slip, the operator did not issue it correctly: contact them, their details are on the paper. The refund goes through this operator, not customs. Kiosks are generally found in international airports, ports and equipped land borders.

Le Tribunal du Net – Tipping at restaurants · Gilles Pudlowski: La Merenda (9 December 2025) · Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, Taxis · Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, Public transport · Metropolitan Tourist Office, Lignes d'Azur buses (listing updated 10 September 2026) · Monaco-Tribune, Bus line 600 Nice-Monaco-Menton · ZOU!, Line 600 timetable (valid from 6 April 2026) · Justice.fr, What is contactless payment? (31 July 2025)