Using credit cards in France

Just prior to our leaving for a trip in France in late June ’06, ITN carried two items about the difficulty Americans were encountering in France and the U.K. when using credit cards (May ’06, pg. 20 & July ’06, pg. 15). The problem was attributed to new cards in use there that require entering a PIN number.

I called Visa, and they confirmed hearing of the problem and advised that we be sure we knew our PIN numbers.
During our 15-day trip, we and our friends charged many meals and minor purchases, mainly in Paris and Nice, without anyone ever asking for a PIN number. Perhaps the problem exists only in certain regions.

DICK RINGE, Portola Valley, CA