As we weren??t staying in a hotel, we were forced to use the local post offices, which were extremely reluctant to change them.
It took 45 minutes to complete the paperwork, and we were treated with the utmost suspicion.
As a result, we were forced to use debit and Visa cards (and subsequently pay commission and handling fees to our UK bank), and are now left with lots of euro traveller??s cheques that we will have to change back to sterling, paying commission again.
B Osborne, Leeds
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American Express replies: ??We have agreements with all the main banks in France, but sometimes customers can experience difficulties with branches that are not in tourist areas. We haven??t received any other complaints like this recently, and can only suggest that the Osbornes seem to have been particularly unlucky. A list of French banks that exchange our euro traveller??s cheques commission-free is available at www.americanexpress.co.uk/travellerscheques.
Back here, the Osbornes can also exchange their cheques, commission-free, at MyTravel and Co-op Travel shops. We would point out that they can also be used as cash at restaurants, shops and other retail outlets both in France and the UK.??
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