What currency does French Guiana use?

French Guiana uses the Euro (EUR) as a French overseas department fully integrated into France and the EU. It is the only territory in South America that uses the euro. All eurozone banknotes and coins work here. No currency exchange needed from the eurozone. For USD holders, multiply euro prices by about 1.10.

Can I use US dollars or Brazilian reais in French Guiana?

No. Despite bordering Brazil and Suriname, French Guiana operates entirely on euros. USD and Brazilian reais are not accepted at shops, restaurants, or hotels. If you are crossing from Brazil (via the Oyapock River bridge from Oiapoque) or from Suriname (via boat from Albina to Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni), exchange your money for euros before crossing or use ATMs in the border towns.

Are credit cards widely accepted in French Guiana?

Yes, in Cayenne, Kourou, and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. French banking infrastructure means Visa and Mastercard (especially Carte Bancaire) work at hotels, restaurants, supermarkets (Carrefour, Match), and petrol stations. However, remote areas (rainforest lodges, Maroni River villages, Îles du Salut boat operators) may require cash. Card acceptance is better than in neighboring Suriname or Brazil's Amapá state.

Are there ATMs in French Guiana?

Yes. Crédit Agricole, BNP Paribas, Société Générale, and La Banque Postale have ATMs in Cayenne, Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, and Matoury. All accept Visa, Mastercard, and Maestro. Remote interior areas (Saül, Maripasoula, Camopi) have no ATMs. Withdraw cash in the coastal towns before heading into the rainforest.

Is French Guiana expensive?

French Guiana is one of the most expensive places in South America due to French prices and the high cost of importing goods through the Amazon. A restaurant meal costs 12 to 25 EUR. Hotels range from 60 EUR for guesthouses to 150+ EUR for Cayenne's better options. Groceries at Carrefour are 30 to 40% more expensive than mainland France. The space center tour at Kourou is free but must be booked in advance.

How do I visit the Guiana Space Centre and what does it cost?

The Centre Spatial Guyanais (CSG) in Kourou is where Arianespace launches rockets for the European Space Agency. Tours of the facility are free but must be booked in advance through the CNES website. Watching a rocket launch is also free from designated viewing areas. The Space Museum (Musée de l'Espace) costs about 7 EUR for adults. Kourou has ATMs and card-accepting restaurants. If you time your visit for a launch, book accommodation months in advance as Kourou fills up.

Money in French Guiana: Currency, ATMs & Tips

💰 Quick Context: The Euro in French Guiana

French Guiana uses the Euro (EUR / €) as a French overseas department, fully part of France and the EU. It is the only territory in South America that uses the euro and the only non-independent territory on the continent. For USD holders: 1 EUR ≈ $1.10. French Guiana is vast (roughly the size of Austria), covered by 97% Amazon rainforest, and home to the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou where Arianespace launches European rockets. French banking means good card acceptance in the coastal towns, but the interior is entirely cash-dependent.

🎧 Order Euros Before You Fly

Have euros in hand when you land. USD and BRL not accepted.

Order EUR → CEI Currency Exchange

Europe in the Amazon: Rockets & Rainforest

French Guiana is a surreal place: European prices, Amazonian jungle, and a space launch facility all in one territory. The population (~300,000) is concentrated along the coast in three main towns: Cayenne (the capital), Kourou (the space center town), and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (on the Suriname border). The vast interior is accessible only by river or small plane.

Border Crossings & Currency

From Brazil: The Oyapock River bridge connects Saint-Georges-de-l'Oyapock (French Guiana) to Oiapoque (Brazil). Brazil uses the real (BRL), which is not accepted in French Guiana. Exchange at the border or use ATMs in Saint-Georges. From Suriname: Pirogues (dugout canoes) cross the Maroni River between Albina (Suriname) and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni (French Guiana). Suriname uses the Surinamese dollar (SRD), which is not accepted here. Exchange money before crossing or withdraw euros from ATMs in Saint-Laurent.

Cash vs. Card: What to Expect in French Guiana

Card acceptance is good in the coastal towns, matching French mainland standards. Visa and Mastercard (especially Carte Bancaire/CB) work at hotels, restaurants, supermarkets (Carrefour, Match, Leader Price), car rental agencies, and petrol stations in Cayenne, Kourou, and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni. Contactless (sans contact) is available at most modern terminals.

The interior is entirely cash-dependent. If you are visiting Saül (a remote village in the heart of the rainforest, accessible only by small Air Guyane plane from Cayenne), Maripasoula (deep in the Maroni River valley), or taking pirogue trips along the Maroni or Oyapock rivers, there are no ATMs, no card terminals, and no banking facilities. Carry all the cash you need from the coast.

Carry €100–€200 in small bills for daily spending in coastal towns (markets, small restaurants, tips). For interior trips, budget €50–€100 per day in cash on top of any prepaid tour costs.

How to Get Euros for Your French Guiana Trip

French Guiana is an overseas department of France in South America, so it uses the euro and operates on French banking infrastructure. Cards work at every Carrefour, Match, and Leader Price supermarket, every Cayenne and Kourou hotel, every car rental agency, and most full-service restaurants in the coastal cities (Cayenne, Kourou, Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, Remire-Montjoly). The interior is a different world: Saül (accessible only by small Air Guyane flight), Maripasoula on the Maroni River, and pirogue-trip villages have no ATMs, no card terminals, and no banking. Plan to carry meaningful EUR cash for any inland excursion. Two cheap routes for getting euros: pre-order before takeoff or pull from a BNP Paribas Guyane or Crédit Agricole ATM after landing.

✈️ Easiest Arrival

Order euros before you fly

Cost: 1–4% markup Convenience: Excellent (cash in hand before takeoff)

For pre-arrival euros, two paths. A currency-exchange service like CEI Currency Exchange ships physical euros to a US address with insured 2–5 day delivery. Your home bank works just as well: Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citi all order euros for branch pickup or home delivery. Allow 3–7 business days. French Guiana-specific perk: BNP Paribas Guyane branch ATMs can offer the BNP Paribas Bank of America Global ATM Alliance benefit (BoA debit users withdraw fee-free), although Alliance coverage in overseas territories is sometimes inconsistent — verify before relying on it. The cleanest setup for any French Guiana trip: a Wise card for hotel and supermarket card payments, plus a CEI envelope of euros for interior excursions where ATMs disappear entirely.

💰 Cheapest

Withdraw from a French Guiana bank ATM

Cost: Real exchange rate Convenience: Good once you land

Once you're in French Guiana, the cheapest source of euros is one of the major bank ATMs operating on the French national networks. BNP Paribas Guyane, Crédit Agricole, BFC Antilles Guyane, and La Banque Postale all give the actual interbank rate with no markup. Most don't add their own operator fee for foreign cards. Withdrawal limits run roughly €500–1,000 per transaction. ATMs cluster around Cayenne (Place des Palmistes, around the cathedral), Kourou (near the European Space Centre), Remire-Montjoly, and Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni, plus at CAY (Cayenne Félix Eboué) airport arrivals. Coverage is essentially zero in the interior: Saül, Maripasoula, and pirogue-trip villages have no ATM access. Withdraw enough cash on the coast before any inland trip. Decline DCC every time the screen offers "charge in USD". See the Best ATMs section below for the bank-by-bank lineup. Want to know what a BNP Paribas Guyane withdrawal will actually cost on your card? Drop it into our ATM fee calculator.

⚠️ Avoid

Airport counters & resort exchange windows

Cost: 5–12% hidden markup Convenience: High (right at arrivals)

Three traps to walk past in French Guiana. The currency-exchange counter in arrivals at CAY (Cayenne Félix Eboué) advertises rates that look reasonable but routinely runs 5–10% off the interbank rate. The exchange windows inside coastal-city hotel lobbies bake the markup into the rate. And the standalone independent ATMs at smaller hotel arcades layer DCC pitches and operator fees on top. Stick to bank-branded ATMs at BNP Paribas Guyane, Crédit Agricole, BFC Antilles Guyane, or La Banque Postale; decline DCC; and walk past anything labeled "no commission". French Guiana does not yet have a city-specific guide on this site, but the Best ATMs section below covers the bank lineup.

For a side-by-side comparison of every method (bank wire, travel card, pre-order, ATM, exchange counter) including USD-to-EUR timing tips, see our complete Getting Currency guide →.

French Guiana Money Guide