Travellers to France given ‘have cash warning’ by expert

Britons travelling to France this summer are being warned to keep an emergency stash of cash on them amid fears of a power outage similar to that seen on the Iberian peninsula last week.

A power cut that caused a widespread blackout in Spain and Portugal for several hours – and also affected parts of the south of France – left millions stranded. 

The outage impacted payment terminals, preventing people using their bank or credit card to pay for items or services, but also affected some ATMs and cash points, meaning those with only a bank card or using cards stored on a digital wallet on their phone were unable to pay for any goods.

In turn, there are calls for both travellers and residents in Europe to make sure they always have some physical money in their wallet, so they can pay for essentials in such a situation. 

“As digital transactions dominate more aspects of daily life, we risk overlooking the fundamental resilience that physical money offers during periods of disruption,” said director of PSE consulting firm Chris Jones to British media The Express. 

“When systems fail — whether due to technical issues, cyberattacks, or power outages — access to cash ensures that people can still buy essential goods and services.” 

Cash always accepted

Having access to some euro notes (and potentially coins for smaller purchases) should allow you to continue to access goods even if electricity is out; 

This can help buy supplies such as food and drink at a local supermarket, restaurant, or bar, or access to an indoor space which may have better conditions (such as A/C if it is warm outside or vice versa). 

You may also be able to use it to pay for emergency accommodation if your travel has been disrupted. 

Physical cash is always an accepted form of payment in France, barring a handful of exceptions such as trying to pay with too many coins. 

There is no guide to exactly how much cash to have on you, but one option is enough to cover a day of key expenses for you and the people you are travelling with. 

Be wary of carrying too much, and make sure the money is secure as pickpockets may otherwise target you.

“While cash usage continues to decline across Europe, events like this reinforce why maintaining robust access must remain a priority,” said Mr Jones.

Read more: Are old euro banknotes still valid in France?

Is France at risk of power outage? 

The calls are directed at all travellers visiting Europe, but have also been made by certain government authorities. 

In Norway and Sweden for example, residents are advised to always carry physical cash on them in case of an emergency.

In the case of France specifically the likelihood of a major power outage seems unlikely. 

It is still unclear exactly what caused the outage across the Iberian peninsula, but French areas affected by the outage saw their power restored relatively quickly by the French grid operator. 

The operator, RTE, was quick to assure the country that such an outage was unlikely in France. 

Spain and Portugal are relatively isolated, with energy connections remaining mostly in the peninsula aside from connections with Spain and across the Mediterranean with North African countries. 

In contrast, France is at the centre of a dense European network, with connection to several other countries. 

In an emergency, power could be shared to allow partial access to the network for key services.