Changing money and banking hours
France > Paris > Basics > Costs and money > Money > Changing money and banking hours
Exchange rates and commission fees charged by banks and bureaux de change vary considerably. On the whole, the best exchange rates are offered by banks, though there's always a commission charge on top (1–2 percent commission on travellers' cheques, and a 2–4 percent commission on cash). It pays to be very wary of bureaux de change as they can really rip you off. Check their rates carefully: some outfits are known to post, somewhat misleadingly, the rate at which they sell rather than buy, so you think you're getting a good rate of exchange when you're not. The exchange bureaux on the Champs-Elysées, near McDonald's, are usually pretty reputable, but check the rates carefully all the same.Standard banking hours are Monday to Friday from 9am to 4 or 5pm. Some banks close at midday (noon/12.30pm–2/2.30pm); some are open on Saturday 9am to noon. All are closed on Sunday and public holidays. They will have a notice on the door if they do currency exchange. Money-exchange bureaux stay open longer (until 6 or 7pm), tend not to close for lunch and may even open on Sundays in the more touristy areas. Rue de la Paix and other streets around the Opéra-Garnier in the 1er arrondissement are full of banks, and there are plenty of money-exchange bureaux on the rue de Rivoli, the Champs-Élysées and in the train stations. There are also automatic exchange machines at the airports and train stations and outside many money-exchange bureaux. They accept £10 and £20 notes as well as dollars and other European currency notes, but offer a very poor rate of exchange.
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