MarylandNed

Chip & PIN? Or Chip & Signature? There's a difference. I think that card might actually be Chip & Signature which means you're still screwed if you have to use an automated machine (e.g. a ticket machine in a train station).

ChelseaDagger

You are indeed correct. And there was me hoping it was C&P but alas not

TerryVA

I used a US credit card in France last summer. I only had problems at restaurants using portable card readers. The waiters were (IMO) unwilling to do the extra work needed for the non-standard card. I had a couple of RATP and SNCF ticket office employees that had to be persuaded to run the card through a second time, but other than that it was fine.

BeataB

I was just in Paris this winter, and didn't have a problem using US credit cards. Even the little card readers that they bring to your table seem to be able to swipe a card if necessary.

The one place I really did have problems a few years ago was with the automated machines at train stations in France. We had booked train tickets online using my US card. When we went to pick them up from the machines at the station, it could not read my card so I couldn't print out the tickets. We had to join the ginormous queue to speak to a person and by the time we got to speak to someone we had missed the train. Very frustrating! So definitely don't try to use them in a situation with a machine like that - they can't read them.

Bushers

I've been refused US cards in several places, mainly due to some fraud issues the stores have been experiencing. Was in Farnborough for some time and the Asda (Walmart owned!)/Burger King would not accept my US card at all. Was very frustrating. On one visit I was there during the Airshow and Asda decided for the 2 weeks it was running they would allow US cards, sooo pissed me off. Even this last christmas they refused my card again, which when traveling on business card made it really frustrating...