Send Money To France

About The Euro Currency

The euro was introduced to world financial markets as an accounting currency on 1 January 1999. Physical euro coins and banknotes entered into circulation on 1 January 2002. By March 2002, the euro had completely replaced the old currencies.

Nowadays, the euro is the second-largest and second-most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the US dollar. It’s the official currency of 19 of the 27 member states of the European Union, and it’s used by around 343 million eurozone citizens.

Fun fact: Inspiration for the € symbol came from the Greek epsilon (Є) – a reference to the cradle of European civilisation. It’s also the first letter of the word Europe, crossed by two parallel lines to represent the stability of the euro.

Euro Denominations

Notes: €500, €200, €100, €50, €20, €10, €5 Coins: €2, €1, 50c, 20c, 10c, 5c, 2c, 1c

About France

Population: 67 million Capital city: Paris Popular tourist locations: Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Bordeaux, Lille, Nice

France is a country whose territory consists of metropolitan France in Western Europe and several overseas regions and territories. It’s bordered by Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany to the northeast, Switzerland and Italy to the east, and Andorra and Spain to the south. During the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a Celtic people.

You have the right to live and work in France as an EU citizen. Nowadays, you don’t even need to register as a French resident at your local mairie (town hall) within three months of living in France. As long as you have a valid EU passport and are either employed, self-employed, a student, a family member of an EU resident, or unemployed with proof of financial means, you’re all good.

All home and landowners in France have to pay the taxe foncière – a local property tax based on a 'rentable value' of the property. It’s calculated based on location, building type, comfort and surface area. The resident (owner or tenant) of a property (including the resident of a 'holiday home') also has to pay the taxe d'habitation. This is based on the rental value of the property as defined by the local authorities and land registry.

5 Interesting Facts About France

• The French government gives medals to citizens who have "successfully raised several children with dignity."
• Louis XIX was King of France for just 20 minutes
• French is the official language of 29 territories
• France uses 12 different time zones, the most of any country in the world
• There are more people speaking French in Africa than in France