If you would rather hand over Bitcoin and leave with euros in your pocket, a cash trade in Paris is the most direct way to do it. You agree a fair rate in a message, meet somewhere busy like Gare de Lyon, count the notes, and swap.
Where to meet in Paris
- Gare de LyonHuge, busy from early morning to late evening, cafes in the hall and police presence.
- Westfield Forum des HallesCentral covered mall above the Châtelet-Les Halles hub, seating and cafes, security staff.
- Place de la RépubliqueLarge open square with cafes on every side and three metro lines.
- Gare MontparnasseBusy terminus with cafes, well lit and watched, easy for people coming from the south-west.
Gare de Lyon is on metro lines 1 and 14 and RER lines A and D, with direct RER B plus a change from Charles de Gaulle airport.
Who trades cash here
People come in from La Défense, Saint-Denis, Boulogne-Billancourt, Montreuil, Créteil and Versailles. Paris is the largest city in the euro area, with a dense mix of tourists, students, expats and small cash-based businesses, so there is steady demand to move between cash and Bitcoin in person. There is a regular local meetup, Paris Bitcoin Meetup, so the city has an active Bitcoin crowd and most people trading cash here have done it before.
Cash in Paris
Cash made up 43% of in-store payments by number in France in 2024, down 25 points since 2016. Standard bank cards often cap cash withdrawals at 300 to 500 euros per rolling week. French tax residents cannot pay a professional more than 1,000 euros in cash.
Bitcoin ATMs in Paris. Only a handful of machines in the whole city, three at the last count (in the 7th, 12th and 17th arrondissements), and none at all across most of France. A cash meetup gives you the same banknotes without the machine fee, and you pick the place.
How a cash sale works
- 1. Tell us what you need. Use the form above with the coin, the amount and your Telegram username, or message @primebaseMBot on Telegram.
- 2. Agree the rate. We quote one clear price for the amount, against the live market. No account, no ID.
- 3. Meet at Gare de Lyon or another busy public spot in Paris. We agree a time that suits both sides, in daylight when possible.
- 4. Swap. You send the crypto, the cash is counted out in front of you, both confirmed on the spot.
Staying safe
Buying rather than selling, or comparing with a machine? See the Bitcoin ATM alternative in Paris.
Thinking about tax or a bank payout instead? Read how to cash out Bitcoin in France, or sell by SEPA transfer with on-chain escrow.
Questions people in Paris ask
Is Gare de Lyon a good place to meet, or is it too crowded?
It is busy, which is the point. Pick a named cafe inside the hall rather than the concourse so both sides can find each other and sit down. Daytime is simplest.
I land at Charles de Gaulle. How do I reach the meeting spot?
Take RER B into the city, then change to RER A, D or metro 1 or 14 for Gare de Lyon. Allow about an hour. Trains run until roughly midnight.
Can I meet in the evening in Paris?
Evening meetings happen, but station halls and squares thin out after about 21:00. Most people prefer a late-afternoon slot or a cafe that stays open and busy.
Do I need ID to sell Bitcoin for cash in Paris?
No. A cash sale in person is you selling coins you already own. There is no account and no ID step. You agree a price, meet, and swap euros for crypto.
Which coins can I sell for cash in Paris?
Bitcoin first, and USDT, Litecoin and Monero on request. You are paid in euros, counted out in front of you.