Preparing a professional trip abroad means anticipating your currency needs: booking in advance, planning for accounting receipts and, often, juggling several currencies for a single itinerary. Here is how to organise your exchanges without wasting time before departure.
Why plan your currency exchange before a business trip
A business trip rarely leaves time to look for a bureau de change once you are there. Between the airport, meetings and transfers, the opportunities to withdraw or exchange money under good conditions are limited. Yet exchanging at the last minute on arrival (airport counters, hotels) is often done on unfavourable terms. Preparing your cash from Paris, before departure, lets you leave with peace of mind and keep control of the exact amount you take with you.
For professionals, the issue is not only the rate: it is also traceability. A currency exchange carried out in an authorised bureau gives rise to a clear receipt, which is essential for the expense report and the company's accounting.
Book your currency online, collect it in store
The simplest solution is to order your currency online and then come and collect it in store. You lock in the currency and the amount you want, you avoid shortages on less common currencies, and you save time on collection day. Paris Change, a bureau de change authorised by the ACPR (Banque de France), offers more than 53 currencies commission-free, with online booking and collection at 4 Boulevard Saint-Michel, 75005 Paris.
A valuable advantage for a busy professional schedule: the shop is open 7 days a week (Monday to Saturday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm, Sunday from 10:00 am to 7:30 pm), which is still rare in Paris. So you can drop by the day before a departure, even on a weekend. Access is direct via the Saint-Michel metro (line 4) and via RER B and C (Saint-Michel–Notre-Dame station).
Managing several currencies for a single trip
Business trips frequently string together several countries: a seminar in London then a trade fair in Geneva, or a sales tour covering the eurozone, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. In this case, it is better to prepare each currency separately rather than converting everything into the first currency and starting over on site.
- Estimate your needs country by country: transfers, taxis, meals not covered, tips, small purchases. With major payments (hotel, tickets) often going through a company card, cash is mainly used for day-to-day expenses.
- Distinguish between zones: pound sterling for the United Kingdom, Swiss franc for Switzerland, dollar for the United States. A single booking can group several currencies together.
- Keep a small reserve of the local currency from the moment you land, so you do not depend on an ATM or a counter on arrival.
Receipts and rules to know
On the accounting side, always keep the exchange receipt handed to you at collection: it indicates the currency, the amount and the date, and serves as a supporting document for the company's expense report. Also remember to keep, on site, the receipts for expenses paid in cash so as to link them to the trip.
One actual rule deserves attention for high amounts: any transport of cash equal to or above €10,000 (or the equivalent in foreign currency) on entering or leaving the European Union must be the subject of a mandatory customs declaration. For most business trips, the amounts stay well below this threshold, but it is useful to know if you are carrying significant amounts of cash.
Finally, bear in mind that counter rates (buy and sell) are indicative and change every day depending on the markets. Booking gives you visibility on the amount to plan for at the time of collection.
Practical tips for the busy professional
- Plan several days before departure, especially for less common currencies that may require some lead time.
- Spread out your cash between your wallet and your hand luggage to limit the inconvenience in the event of loss.
- Check local cash usage: very widespread in some countries, marginal in others where the card dominates. Adjust the amount you take accordingly.
- Favour a single point of contact: ordering online and collecting from an authorised bureau simplifies tracking and the justification of expenses.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order several currencies in a single booking?
Yes. You can prepare several currencies for the same trip and come and collect everything in a single visit to 4 Boulevard Saint-Michel, which is ideal for multi-country itineraries.
How do I justify a currency exchange to my accounting department?
Keep the exchange receipt handed to you in store: it specifies the currency, the amount and the date. Combined with the receipts for your expenses on site, it serves as a supporting document for your expense report.
Is there a commission on the exchange?
No, Paris Change applies commission-free exchange. Counter rates remain indicative and vary every day depending on the markets.
Prepare your next business trip with complete peace of mind: order your currency online and collect it 7 days a week in store, a stone's throw from the Saint-Michel metro.
