Paris — From bakeries in Paris to newsstands in Vienna to cafes in Rome, Europeans tried out their new currency Tuesday. But many shops were closed for New Year's, and most customers wound up relying on their old familiar money for at least another day.
Most people got their first glimpse of the crisp, rainbow-hued euro bank notes when they stopped at automated teller machines on their way home from New Year's festivities. Others were handed the new bills as change when they went out for breakfast.
"It's funny to pay in francs and get this back," said Evelyne Patou, a customer in a Paris bakery, examining a pastel blue bank note. "It's like Monopoly money."
The euro, a decade in the works, became legal tender with the dawning of the new year. It is perhaps the most concrete evidence of Europe's transition from a divided continent to a team of nations working toward the same goals.
The 12 European Union nations that adopted the euro are parting with currencies that have long histories such as Greece's drachma, which stretches back 2,600 years.
Things seemed to be running smoothly on the first day.
Emad Kolta, 49, who runs a newsstand in a subway station in Vienna, said he didn't feel completely prepared yet for the switch but that so far, he had been able handle it, even though he had no euros to use as change.
"I thought this morning, if I come to work and have problems with the euro I'll just close the shop and open it back up tomorrow. But so far, I've had no problems," he said.
Reaction to the euro varied by country. In Belgium, people were eager to get their hands on the new money. Banksys, which administers most cash machines in Belgian stores and gas stations, noted a record number of withdrawals from midnight to 1 a.m. Tuesday 600 a minute. In Finland, hundreds of people lined up outside Bank of Finland branches in the early morning.
In France, Finance Minister Laurent Fabius said the switch was going better than expected and forecast that 85 percent of francs would be pulled from circulation in only two weeks.
The real test will come today, when the work week starts.
More than 15 billion bank notes and 52 billion coins worth 646 billion euros, or $568 billion have been produced for the switch. Depending on the country, people have up to two months to get used to their new currency while the old one is phased out.
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