Residents of the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion will slip ahead of the rest of the euro zone tomorrow, using their three-hour lead on Paris to become the first to use euro cash.
At midnight on December 31st, the first of roughly 304 million people in 12 countries will begin using euro notes in this tropical paradise.
Two hours later, continental Europeans will join the parade in Finland and in Greece, followed by the bulk of the euro zone one hour later.
Ireland and Portugal will conclude the operation after a further hour.