Withdrawal fees abroad with Banque Populaire: what expats in France need to know

Thanks to the various Visa and MasterCard options offered by Banque Populaire, withdrawing money abroad from France is certainly possible.

However, every time you use an ATM outside the Eurozone, keep in mind that fixed fees, variable fees, and currency conversion charges may apply.

To significantly reduce your expenses, there’s a simple option: the Wise card. Its advantages? Free withdrawals abroad up to €200 (maximum of 2 withdrawals), and affordable conversion fees on most major currencies.

Discover the Wise card

Things to remember before you leave France

To avoid unpleasant surprises once you’re abroad, make sure to:

• Check that your bank card works outside of France. If you have a Visa Banque Populaire card, withdrawing money abroad shouldn’t be a problem. The same applies to MasterCard.
• Inform your bank of your trip. Otherwise, your withdrawals or payments could be blocked due to suspected fraud.
• Check your payment and withdrawal limits.
• Check your card’s expiry date. If it expires during your trip, order a new one in advance.
• Keep the emergency numbers for blocking your card handy. Don’t store them in your wallet—keep them safely in your suitcase instead.

How much does it cost to withdraw money abroad with Banque Populaire?

Since Banque Populaire is a group of regional banks, prices can vary from one branch to another and depending on your contract. For this article, we’ve used the fee structure of Banque Populaire Alsace Lorraine Champagne as an example.

As these fees can change at any time, it’s best to contact your local bank directly for the most up-to-date information.

Banque Populaire withdrawal fees abroad

Here are the fees applied by Banque Populaire for withdrawals made abroad:¹

• If the currency is Euro, CFP Franc, Romanian Leu, or Swedish Krona: no fees are charged if you don’t exceed €50,000 per month, otherwise a fee of 0.25% + €2.95 applies.
• If the withdrawal is made in another currency, Banque Populaire charges a fee of 2.95% + €2.95.

Card payments abroad with Banque Populaire

Fees vary depending on the amount and currency:¹

• Payments are free if the currency is Euro, CFP Franc, Romanian Leu, or Swedish Krona (as long as you don’t exceed €50,000).
• In other currencies, each card payment will cost you 2.95% of the transaction amount.

Currency exchange fees

When you exchange currency through Banque Populaire, fixed fees apply based on the amount converted:¹

• Up to €50: €5
• From €50.01 to €50,000: €16.50
• Over €50,000: €55

How to reduce fees

Prioritize Banque Populaire branches for withdrawals

Banque Populaire applies charges for withdrawals made at ATMs belonging to other financial institutions. Whenever possible, withdraw from Banque Populaire ATMs.

The issue is that abroad, you’re unlikely to find a Banque Populaire branch. Therefore, you’ll have to pay additional fees.

Limit the number of withdrawals

Each withdrawal in foreign currency incurs fixed fees plus commission on the amount and exchange. So, make fewer but larger withdrawals to reduce the total number of fees.

Favor card payments

As mentioned earlier, withdrawals are subject to fixed fees, while card payments usually aren’t. To save money, prioritize using your card for purchases when possible.

Banque Populaire international packages and options

Banque Populaire offers specific services for expatriates. Available in several packages, these sometimes include reimbursements for withdrawal and payment fees (excluding currency conversion charges).

Banque Populaire prepaid card for foreign withdrawals

The advantage of a prepaid card is that it isn’t directly linked to your bank account. In case of theft, the thief would only have access to the remaining card balance, not your full savings.

With Wise, you can get a card linked to your multi-currency account. You can withdraw up to €200 (or the equivalent in foreign currency), with a maximum of 2 withdrawals, without any fees.

How to avoid hidden fees

What are currency exchange fees?

While Banque Populaire clearly informs you about conversion fees when you make a transaction in a foreign currency, it doesn’t always specify which exchange rate it uses.

Generally, instead of converting at the mid-market rate, the bank applies its own rate, which is usually less favorable. This means you might end up paying extra on the conversion to Euros, even if it’s not clearly mentioned.

With Wise, benefit from the mid-market exchange rate when converting currencies!

When you withdraw money, you may be asked whether you want to convert the amount into Euros or carry out the transaction in the local currency. This process is called dynamic currency conversion.

When this option appears, decline it. If you accept, Banque Populaire may charge you twice — once for the withdrawal and again for the conversion.

To avoid excessive fees on foreign withdrawals, Wise could be a practical alternative to traditional banks.

With the Wise card, you can pay and withdraw abroad at competitive rates. For example, conversion fees start from just 0.47%.

To stay safe, we recommend traveling with a second backup card. If your main card isn’t accepted, you’ll still have a way to pay.

Another advantage of the Wise card is that it’s linked to a multi-currency account where you can hold 40+ currencies.

If you need a specific currency, conversion is done at the mid-market rate, allowing you to withdraw only what you need at a low cost. Plus, you won’t need to exchange back leftover cash when you return to France.

Open a Wise account and order your card with no issuance fee (only a €7 delivery fee).

Order your Wise card

This article is a translation of the original article published in French and was translated within 365 days of publication. While the content has been translated for accessibility, the data and sources referenced have not been updated since the original publication date.