Continuing use of francs

[Jean Dervin]

A friend has expressed surprise at still finding prices displayed in francs (obviously as a euro equivalent).  This is near the Swiss border.  Can't say that I've seen it myself, but would welcome comments.

[Charles D]

It's probably because Switzerland, though an EU member, is not part of the EuroZone.  It would make sense for a business seeking across-the-border trade would list equivalent pricing.  The 'francs' in question are more than likely Swiss Francs, not the old French francs.  More thoughts?

[Jean Dervin]

I wouldn't have asked the question if the francs were Swiss francs.  The prices are quoted in French francs.

The relevance of the proximity to the Swiss border isn't clear.  Does this happen elsewhere in France?

[Charles D]

Your the one who said it was near the Swiss border.  And you didn't specify French or Swiss francs.  I was simply responding to the way you worded your inquiry.  Maybe someone else can jump in.

[Chantal Savignat]

Hello.

I am not sure to have a good understanding. The price was in euro and there is a translation in francs ? Or the price was in francs ?

The first one is entirely usual in France.

It's usual to see the both prices everywhere, even in Paris.

The whole administration papers, pay slip, everywhere there is a price ...  the price is in the both quotations.

It's very difficult to change currency. Imagine, tomorrow, someone says to you "you won't win 5000 dollars per month but 857 X, and it's the same thing", "you won't spend 10 000 dollars for this car, but 1600 X" "this chicken doesn't cost 8 dollars but 1,34 X"  ... every day you have to do a mental gymnastic to compute your money.

For children and young people, it's easy. For medium, it was more difficult but with time, the new money is integrated, but for older people, it was very difficult.
So at the beginning, everywhere there were the both prices.

And it stays. And I think it will still stay for a long time.

A little story, in 1958, général de Gaulle changed the currency (anciens francs/100 francs => nouveaux  francs/1 franc), in 1998 (40 years later), there were still people (like my grandma who asked "how many is this price in anciens francs")

But if the price is in french francs (bigger) translated in euro (smaller) it'is unusual. And I think it's not legal.

[Charles D]

Yes, I remember in Ireland before the switch from Irish pounds to euros, prices were given in both to show the people what the change will be like.  And it remained a few years after the switch to euros so people would have a better understanding of the difference in the currencies.  Now, however, no prices are given in Irish pounds.

[Chantal Savignat]

 Prices in francs are smaller and smaller. Most are very very small in a corner of the label.

more and more they disappear on food's label or cheap things.

but it's not a surprise to have the "franc" conversion.

[Jean Dervin]

The currency reform was actually in 1960.  I was staying in Paris with an aunt at the time.  She went on using anciens francs until the day she died many years later.

I still sometimes think in LSD.  Twleve bob for a first-class stamp!  Outrageous.  (It's gone up again now.)

[Chantal Savignat]

I was not born ;-)

[George Hunt]

When I lived in France I learned and used the expression "mille balles" ,"2 mille balles" " dix mille balles" etc which meant multiples of  10 francs.

I always preferred it as it was close to then value of £1. I think that must have been based on the old currency and  it wasn't only the grandmas who spoke like that then .

[Chantal Savignat]

when I was a child, I knew the conversion anciens/nouveaux francs. Because my grandma always did he conversion.

And before he dead, my father did the two conversions : euros => noveaux francs => anciens francs. Some more years, and I think he would have done euros => anciens francs.

A mental gymnastic to preserve his neurons

[George Hunt]

If the prices are quoted specifically  in French Francs  perhaps someone is making a political point?

I doubt there remain many actual French Francs in circulation.

[Jean Dervin]

Is the word "sou" still used other than in colloquial expressions?  Indeed, is it used even colloquially these days?