An American in France: “La Carte Bleue”

I’ll just put it on my Carte Bleue!

By Katelyn Livorse

 

Like 82 percent of all Americans, and 73 percent of Americans under the age of 25, I am a holder of a credit card. After arriving in France, however, I got a few nasty shocks when it kept getting declined!

 

The Carte Bleue

Although credit cards are readily available in France, they are much less commonly used and only count for 12.4 percent of cards in circulation. Instead, the French like to use what they call a Carte Bleue. Although it may sound fancy to us, a Carte Bleue is just their version of a debit card, and it actually no longer exists.

Carte Bleue was a major debit card system in France until 2010 when it was absorbed by Visa Europe. Today, the name has stuck and the French use the term when referring to their debit cards rather than using the technical term carte bancaire. It is extremely common in France to use debit cards, or even cash, over a credit card. As a result, many businesses don’t even accept credit cards, or only a select few credit card companies as a means of payment.

 

The Reasoning

The first day I arrived in France was certainly memorable. When I tried to run to the grocery store for a few essentials, I ended up having to leave with my hands empty after several rolled eyes and huffs of impatience while my card refused to work on the machine.

Many French would argue that credit cards are dangerous and encourage unhealthy spending habits. The European Union also discourages credit card use in Europe by enacting laws that place limits on how much the companies can charge for accepting credit cards, making it more difficult for them to offer loyalty programs and attract users.

There is certainly validity to the argument that credit cards promote poor financial management. Americans have accumulated a whopping $1.21 trillion in credit card debt—the highest level ever—and experts project it will continue to rise.

While the French, and Europe in general, aren’t wrong on that count, constantly using a CB (carte bleue) or cash does increase the risk of fraud or theft. Credit card theft is certainly a problem, but one much easier to fix because the owner’s bank account is still secure. Unfortunately, I also learned this lesson firsthand when my debit card information was stolen! Not only do I miss the security of my credit card, I also miss the cash back at the end of every month. While it’s never much, buying that extra coffee with the rewards really boosts my day!

 

Credit Cards on the Rise? 

Despite the French aversion to credit cards, more people have been using them, and experts forecast their use will continue to rise. According to one forecast, the use of credit cards will continue to rise for eight consecutive years and in 2029, it should account for 41 percent of transactions. For comparison, in the United States—the country with the most credit card debt in the world—people use credit cards for about 37 percent of transactions. More businesses in France are also opening up to accepting these forms of payment and less and less people are opting to use card rather than cash for their transactions. In any case, it is clear that card payments are on the rise, and France, though it is resistant today, may well abandon their Carte Bleue for a Mastercard soon.

 

 

About the Author

Katelyn Livorse is a marketing fellow at the Institute for Faith and Freedom and the editor-in-chief of Checkpoint News.  A junior political science and French major, Katelyn is a style editor for the Grove City College Journal of Law and Public Policy and served as a contributing writer for The Collegian. She is also a member of the AEI Executive Council at Grove City College.

In the summer of 2024, Katelyn interned at The American Spectator as an editorial intern. There, she covered topics ranging from Iraqi politics to the 2024 American Presidential Election. She also interviewed figures in American politics, including Paul Haring who wrote the Hyde Amendment.

Katelyn has also worked as a translator for the Jews of the Somme Project. She worked to translate French documents written during the Nazi occupation of France detailing the persecution of the Jewish population. Upon graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in international relations.

READ MORE BY KATELYN LIVORSE: Where is the Outrage?

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed are those of the writer alone and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Grove City College, the Institute for Faith and Freedom, or their affiliates.

Cover Image: Photo by Photo by CardMapr.nl on Unsplash (Cropped).

Captioned Image: Tiffany Farrant, taken from Wikimedia Commons. (License)