💰 Quick Context: France, the EU and the Euro, but Not Schengen
Réunion is an overseas department of France and part of the European Union, and its currency is the euro. Cards work as in mainland France. But the island is outside the Schengen area, its VAT is 8.5 percent rather than 20, and an import tax called the octroi de mer pushes shop prices above those in Paris. American and British cards are charged as foreign transactions, and BNP Paribas Réunion is not a Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner.
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A department, not a colony. Réunion, 700 kilometres east of Madagascar, has been a French department since 1946, with the same status as any department on the mainland. It is an outermost region of the European Union, and its currency has been the euro since 2002, with the same notes and coins as Paris.
What that means for money. French banks, French card terminals and French prices on the shelf, labelled in euros. Contactless payment is everywhere in Saint-Denis, Saint-Gilles and Saint-Pierre. Supermarkets, petrol stations, restaurants, hotels and car hire take Visa and Mastercard; American Express less often.
What it does not mean. Réunion is outside the Schengen area. Border checks apply on arrival even from Paris, and a Schengen visa does not cover the island unless it is endorsed for it. US citizens can stay up to 90 days without a visa; other nationalities should check the official France-Visas site before booking.
Lower VAT, Higher Prices: the Octroi de Mer
VAT is low. The standard rate of VAT in Réunion is 8.5 percent, against 20 percent on the mainland, and the reduced rate is 2.1 percent. Restaurant bills and hotel rates include it, as in France.
But shop prices are high. Almost everything is shipped 9,000 kilometres, and most imports pay the octroi de mer, a local tax on goods entering the island that funds the communes. France's statistics office, INSEE, found prices in Réunion about 7 percent above the mainland overall, and food about 37 percent higher. The "vie chère", the high cost of living, is a long-running political issue across France's overseas departments.
How to spend less. Eat where the island eats: snack bars selling samosas, bouchons and bonbons piment, camions bars (food trucks) with rougail saucisse and carri for a few euros, and the covered markets in Saint-Paul and Saint-Pierre for tropical fruit. Imported wine and cheese are where the bill climbs.
Why Your Card Still Charges a Foreign Fee
Euros are euros. For a card issued in the eurozone, Réunion is no different from Lyon. For a card issued in dollars or pounds, a payment in euros is a foreign transaction, and most issuers add their foreign transaction fee, typically 3 percent on US cards and around 3 percent on UK cards that charge one.
The alliance does not reach. BNP Paribas Réunion is not a Global ATM Alliance partner: Bank of America's arrangement with BNP Paribas covers mainland France only, and the island bank is a separate company, so a BoA debit card pays BoA's $5 non-network fee and 3 percent international transaction fee at its machines as at any other.
The conversion screen. Some terminals and machines offer to charge foreign cards in dollars or pounds. Refuse and choose euros. Our DCC explainer shows how much the offer costs.
Getting Around: the EUR 2 Bus and the Hire Car
Car Jaune. The yellow island buses run around the coast and up to some of the inland towns. Since December 2025 every journey costs a flat EUR 2, however far you go, including the two-hour run from Saint-Denis to Saint-Pierre. The Bat'Karé pass gives one to three weeks of unlimited travel. Town networks such as Citalis in Saint-Denis charge a little less.
The hire car. Most visitors hire a car, because the cirques, the volcano road and the trailheads are poorly served by buses. Rates are in euros and paid by card, with a deposit held on a credit card. Fuel prices are regulated by the prefecture and similar to the mainland.
Taxis are metered and expensive over distance: fine for a ride across Saint-Denis, costly for the west coast. Ask whether the driver takes cards before you set off.
Hiking, Gîtes and the Volcano
The cirques. Réunion's interior is three huge collapsed volcanic craters, Cilaos, Salazie and Mafate. Mafate has no roads at all: its villages are reached on foot or by helicopter, and hikers sleep in gîtes, mountain lodges with dormitory beds and a set dinner.
Booking and paying. Gîtes are booked ahead, many through the island tourism board's central reservation service and some directly by phone or online, and the popular ones fill weeks in advance in the dry season. Payment terms vary: some take a card deposit, some want the balance in cash on the night, and there are no machines in Mafate. Carry enough euros for every night in the cirque, plus drinks and snacks bought in the hamlets.
Piton de la Fournaise. One of the world's most active volcanoes, reached by road to the Pas de Bellecombe car park and then on foot. Entry is free. The Gîte du Volcan near the start of the trail is booked direct, and its dinner is paid on the spot.
Helicopter Flights and Canyoning
Helicopters. The classic splurge is a flight over the cirques and the volcano. Operators flying from Saint-Pierre and Saint-Gilles charge from roughly EUR 270 for a cirques and waterfalls flight, about EUR 325 to add the volcano, and about EUR 365 for a whole-island tour, per person. Book by card; reputable operators rebook free of charge when the clouds come in, which they often do by late morning.
Canyoning, paragliding and diving. Cilaos and Salazie are among the best canyoning areas anywhere, and the paragliding take-offs above Saint-Leu are famous. Expect EUR 50 to 120 per person for a half-day canyon or a tandem flight, paid by card. Lagoon diving and snorkelling on the west coast cost similar to the Mediterranean.
Best ATMs to Use in Réunion
Island banks are the French ones, and their machines work as in mainland France, usually without an operator fee for foreign cards. Your own bank's fees still apply. There is no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner on the island.
Crédit Agricole de La Réunion
The island's largest network, with machines in every town and a branch at Roland Garros airport.
Top Pick
BNP Paribas Réunion
Machines in Saint-Denis, Saint-Gilles and Saint-Pierre. Not an alliance partner, despite the name: BoA's partnership covers mainland France only.
Recommended
La Banque Postale
Machines at post offices, including in small inland towns such as Cilaos and Hell-Bourg where the other banks are thin.
Recommended⚠️ No Machines in Mafate
The Mafate cirque has no roads and no cash machines, and many gîtes and hamlet shops take cash only. Withdraw before you set off from the trailhead, in Saint-Paul, Saint-Denis or Cilaos, and carry enough for every night.
Tipping in Réunion
French rules. Service is included in restaurant prices by law. Locals leave small change or round up for good service; 5 to 10 percent is generous. Tip gîte hosts and guides if you wish, in cash.
Réunion Quick Reference
| Destination | Cards? | Cash Needed? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Car Jaune bus | Cash or ticket | EUR 2 flat | Bat'Karé pass for longer stays |
| Supermarkets | ✅ Yes | Food about a third above Paris | Markets are cheaper |
| Snack bars and camions | Mixed | A few euros a dish | Carry small notes |
| Mafate gîtes | ❌ Often cash | Dinner, bed and breakfast | No machines in the cirque |
| Helicopter flights | ✅ Card | EUR 270–365 | Fly early, before the clouds |
| ATMs | Crédit Agricole, BNP, Banque Postale | No alliance partner | Choose euros |
Frequently Asked Questions
What currency is used in Réunion?
The euro. Réunion is an overseas department of France and an outermost region of the European Union, and uses the same euro notes and coins as mainland France. Neighbouring Mauritius uses the Mauritian rupee, and Madagascar the ariary.
Is Réunion in the Schengen area?
No. Although it is part of France and the EU, Réunion is outside Schengen, so a standard Schengen visa is not valid there unless it is specifically endorsed for it. US citizens can visit without a visa for up to 90 days; other nationalities should check France's official visa site.
Is Réunion expensive?
More than mainland France for shopping and food, less for some services. VAT is only 8.5 percent, but the octroi de mer import tax and shipping costs keep supermarket prices higher: France's statistics office has measured food prices about a third above the mainland. Eating at snack bars and markets is the cheap way to do it.
Will my card charge a foreign fee in Réunion?
If it is issued outside the eurozone, yes. A US or UK card is charged its foreign transaction fee on euro purchases in Réunion exactly as in Paris. Euro-area cards from mainland France or elsewhere in the eurozone are not.
How much is the bus in Réunion?
The Car Jaune island buses charge a flat 2 euros per journey since December 2025, including the airport lines and the long coast routes. A multi-day pass, the Bat'Karé, covers one to three weeks of unlimited travel. Town buses in Saint-Denis and elsewhere cost a little less.
Is BNP Paribas in Réunion a Global ATM Alliance partner?
No. Bank of America's partner is BNP Paribas in mainland France. The alliance does not extend to the group's overseas banks, so BoA debit cards pay the 5 dollar non-network fee and 3 percent international transaction fee at every machine in Réunion.
Réunion money toolkit
Deep-dive guides for specific banks, airports, and traveler nationalities in Réunion. Each one builds on this overview with card-by-card fee math, exact ATM locations, or terminal-by-terminal directions.
Go deeper: Réunion, France and the Indian Ocean
Most visitors fly in from Paris and many combine Réunion with Mauritius, a 45-minute flight away, which uses its own currency. The guides below cover the airport, mainland France's banks and the neighbours.
Hero photo: the Cirque de Mafate, Réunion, by Air miasma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.