My mastercard/visa cards get rejected by French petrol pumps. Which card should I be using?

You need to call the customer service number and tell them you are travelling in France. Theyoften do not put through charges in a foreign country to prevent fraud. They just need to knoe it is really YOU.

Knowing the French, a French one.

nothing wrong with the cards, the authorisation dept are probably on strike,

You have to use a french card.

The auto-pumps will only operate with a french card. It doesn't matter if you have informed your card provider or not, it won't work on self-filling unmanned filling stations.

Charlie is right tell your card provider you are in France

Maybe it is because you card hasn't got a chip.
You should check with your bank anyway in case it is the reason given above.

In France, and indeed everywhere, there are a range of different credit card authentication services on offer for a business such as a petrol station. Some of these are limited by the actual technology, and others are limited by the type of subscription. Automatic payment machines such as car parks, petrol pumps, etc, often have only a very basic level of authentication which will only accept French visa/mastercard. If your card is rejected by a machine, you will need to find another means of payment, such as going and paying at the cashier/shop, which will usually accept almost any card.

In France, when you use a card from a different country, you CAN NOT use it on machines, because you need a credit card from France, not from another country.

Charlie and Graham I are both right: there can be two causes: either your bank blocked transactions made abroad for your security so you should tell your bank before you leave that you are going to use your card abroad.

Or, it's because your pin number is not recognized by French machines. It will work in ATMs but most likely not in other machines. You can still pay with your card at gas stations but only at the desk where the person will slide your card through the machine and will make you sign the receipt, as is done in the US.

Hi. I've been caught out like this too. They only seem to accept the french 'Carte Bleu'. These are usually attached to a french bank account and you have to pay for the privilege of having one. It seems to be the same with toll roads, but normal cards work in shops. It's frustrating but true. Good luck.

French self-service petrol machines will ONLY accept French bank cards.