Foreign exchange guide to Martinique and the Euro (EUR)
The euro (ISO: EUR) is involved in slightly more than 30% of all foreign exchange deals, and as such, is the world’s second most traded currency, behind the US dollar.
The euro is the currency of the eurozone (officially called the ‘euro area’), which consists of 19 of the 28 member states of the European Union, and is used by almost 350 million Europeans. It was introduced in January 1999.
Of all the thousands of exchange rates that exist in the world, the euro-to-US dollar exchange rate is the most actively traded, or most ‘liquid’.
Since its introduction, the euro’s lowest value against the dollar came in October 2000 when EUR/USD hit lows of 0.8231. The currency was strongest in July 2008, shortly before the worst stage of the 2007-2009 financial crisis, when EUR/USD reached 1.6038.
There are currently more than twenty nations and territories which peg their currencies to the euro, the largest of which is Denmark.
The euro is currently a more appealing investment than the US dollar as fiscal support and COVID-19 containment open the door to a faster paced recovery than what is likely in the US. With current USD weakness and strong long-term prospects for the European Union, there is speculation that the euro could be a contender as the world’s new reserve currency.
In the short term the euro could be susceptible to swings, however in the longterm the euro has very good prospects. The currency is poised to move above 1.1850 and extend toward 1.20 in coming weeks.
In mid-July euro strengthened four-month highs (around 1.15 against the US dollar) as european leaders delivered a difficult agreement on a coronavirus rescue package to help member states manage the economic downturn. The historic stimulus package will see the bloc issue 750 billion euros (US$860 billion) of joint debt and is seen by market commentators as positive for the euro.
The Euro spent 2019 on a downwards trajectory, starting the year with highs at US1.1550 but then slid all year until October where it bottomed out at US$1.09 on Oct 1, close to long-term lows. Since then it has climbed back over the 1 year average of US1.11 towards US1.15.
For more EUR currency market forecasts you can read the full article Euro Forecasts. The below interactive chart shows the USD to EUR exchange rate, trend and recent alerts for the last 90 days.
| USD/EUR rate | Change | Period |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Jul 2020 : 0.8423 | 0% ▼ | 1 Week |
| 07 Jul 2020 : 0.8869 | 5% ▼ | 30 Days |
| 08 May 2020 : 0.9117 | 7.6% ▼ | 90 Days |
| 07 Aug 2019 : 0.8925 | 5.6% ▼ | 1 Year |
| 08 Aug 2015 : 0.9118 | 7.6% ▼ | 5 Years |
| 09 Aug 2010 : 0.7556 | 11.5% ▲ | 10 Years |
Converted at USD/EUR wholesale exchange rate, compare foreign transfer and spend/travel exchange rates.
The domestic currency in Martinique is the Euro.
The three letter currency code for the Euro is EUR — symbol is €.
It is the domestic currency in Eurozone, Aaland Islands, Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, French Guinea, French Southern Territories, Germany, Greece, Guadeloupe, Vatican City, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Martinique, Mayotte, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, Portugal, Reunion, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
No, the Euro is freely available and convertible. See guide: What is a closed currency?
Volcanic in origin, Martinique is a mountainous stunner crowned by the still-smoldering Mont Pelée, the volcano that wiped out the former capital of St-Pierre in 1902. Offering a striking diversity of landscapes and atmospheres, Martinique is a cosmopolitan and sophisticated island that boasts stunning beaches, superb hiking, top-notch culinary experiences, an enormous array of activities and rich cultural life.
While it suffers from overcrowding and urban sprawl in some places, particularly in and around the busy capital, Fort-de-France, life, and travel, becomes more sedate as one heads north or south through some of the island's alluring scenery. The rainforested, mountainous northern part is the most spectacular, but the south has its fair share of natural wonders, including lovely bays and miles of gorgeous beaches.
In Martinique, Euros are the only really usable currency. You will find U.S. Dollars and UK Pounds tend to be quite difficult to convert to Euros. Locals will tell you to go back to the airport, to use the exchange office there. Your best bet, is to use an ATM machine, there are many and are easy to find.Bank-operated 24-hour ATMs can also be found throughout the island. Don't bother trying to convert your money at a bank, unless you are in Fort de France. Bank hours vary, though Fort-de-France banks are generally open 7:30 a.m. to noon and 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.
If you would like to do some island hopping as part of your trip, it is easy to get to and from Martinique by ferry service. The ferries travel to Guadeloupe, Dominica and St. Lucia.
Renting a car in Martinique is hassle-free: all you need is a drivers’ license from your home country and the knowledge that traffic moves on the right, Taxis are another option if you plan on driving only minimally; they are expensive but reliable. Cabs line up at the airport and at hotels, as well as on the streets of the capital city Fort-de-France. Finally, there is water travel. Ferries run around the island between Fort-de-France and other coastal cities. Even if you do have a car, taking a ferry is a popular way to experience the Caribbean, and can be a destination in itself. A regular vedette (ferry) between Martinique’s main resort areas and Fort-de-France provides a nice alternative to dealing with heavy bus and car traffic; it also allows you to avoid the hassles of city parking and is quicker.
The former capital of Martinique, St. Pierre , was known as the Paris of the Antilles. Even though St. Pierre was destroyed in the 1902 eruption of Mount Pelee , Martinique reputation as a second France still remains. French is the official language of the island, and newspapers and literature of Martinique are usually in French.
Stunning beaches border tropical rainforests and towering cathedrals share skyline with an imposing volcano. Tourists and residents crowd the store-lined streets and restaurant-filled back alleys of Fort-de-France, while a few miles north, foliage dampens the sounds of bird tweets and hikers. In a word: Martinique. If you want to hit the beach one day then get the adrenaline pumping the next, you'll find that this island offers both – and does both well.
Avoid the winter Martinique is virtually empty for seven months of the year. Although May or June are the best months to visit, the spring, summer and fall all offer much lower hotel rates and airfare than wintertime.
Save money and time by Ordering your Euro online from Travelex, you get better rates and can pick up the EUR cash locally or even on travel day at the airport.
Another popular option is to use a Pre-paid Travel Card. Your Debit/Credit Card provider will charge you 2% from market mid-rate, but your bank may also charge an extra 3% as an “Overseas Transaction Charge” plus “Overseas ATM” fees for withdrawing cash.
For card purchases if offered a choice of currencies always select to Pay in Euro otherwise you may get much worst exchange rates.
When searching around for information on how to get a good exchange rate when sending money to Martinique you need to start with finding out the latest Euro exchange rate for foreign-transfers, which can be very different to the wholesale rate.
Then compare your bank's exchange rates to several licensed FX providers exchange rate and fees to see how much you can save - we make that calculation easy in the below table.
When sending money to Martinique it’s important to compare your bank’s rates & fees with those we have negotiated with our partner money transfer providers. To get a better deal you should follow these 4 simple steps :
Use the above Send to Euro calculator to compare the exchange rates of FX specialist providers rates versus your bank's standard rates you can hopefully save around 5% and maybe more - end result is more Euro deposited into the recipient bank account and less margins and fees kept by the banks!