Carte Bleue

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This article is about the debit card system. For the ATM and EFTPOS network, see CB (interbank network).

Carte Bleue ("Blue Card") is a major debit card payment scheme operating in France. The system has now been integrated into a wider scheme called CB or Carte bancaire ("banking card"). All Carte Bleue cards are part of CB, but not all CB cards are Carte Bleue.

The system is national, and pure Carte Bleue cards do not operate outside of France. However, it is possible and commonplace to get Carte Bleue VISA card that operates outside of France. Carte Bleue, properly said, is the local affiliate of VISA. Some cards also double with the electronic cash system Moneo.

Carte Bleue started in 1967, associating six French banks (BNP, CCF, Crédit du Nord, CIC, Crédit Lyonnais, and Société Générale. Combined Visa cards exist since 1973 under the name Carte Bleue Internationale, changing to Carte Bleue Visa in 1976^[1]).

Carte Bleue, valid only in France

Carte Bleue VISA, valid worldwide

From 1992 on, all Cartes Bleues / CB have been smart cards. When one uses a Carte Bleue at a French merchant, one has to type the PIN of the card, and a microchip on the card verifies and authenticates the transaction. Only some very limited transactions, such as small autoroute tolls, are paid without PIN. Since automatic teller machines also check for the PIN, this measure strongly reduces the incentive to steal Cartes Bleues, since the cards are essentially useless without the PIN (though one may try using the card number for mail-order or e-retailing). Foreign cards without microchips can still be used at French merchants, with the usual procedure of swiping the magnetic stripe and signing the receipt, although most retailers will ask to see the user's passport as a proof of ID.^{[citation needed]}

In 2003, the Cartes Bleues / CB started to move on to the international standard EMV for smart chips. They may thus be used in British smart card readers.

A minority of Cartes Bleues are credit cards tied to credit lines.