PARIS The euro on Monday became the sole currency of France, with the french franc no longer legal tender after midnight (2300 GMT Sunday) ending a run of 641 years.

Prime Minister Lionel Jospin and Economy Minister Laurent Fabius said adieu to the franc during a brief ceremony, congratulating the people of France for accepting the changeover to the euro.

The franc made a quiet, dignified departure as the French are now comfortably buying and selling in the single European currency. The Finance Ministry estimated at the week-end that more than 95 percent of all cash payments were being made in euros.

The euro entered general circulation as cash in France and 11 other European countries on January 1. But to ease the transition, national currencies were allowed to continue to circulate until February 28 at the latest.

France became the third country to abandon its old currency for good, following the Netherlands (January 27) and Ireland (February 9). The nine other euro-zone countries decided to wait until the last moment.

The franc was born by decree on December 5, 1360 to celebrate the release of King Jean II from English captivity -- the name means "free" in old French.

It faced challenges from gold and silver ecus, louis, and testons (from the Italian testa or head) before the 1789-1799 revolution established the germinal franc and the ensuing Napoleonic empire ensured supremacy of yet another franc.

Its most recent transformation was in December 1958 following a period of repeated devaluations, when president Charles de Gaulle unveiled the new franc, worth 100 old francs.

President Jacques Chirac, who claims De Gaulle's political heritage, said Friday he was "filled with emotion" while signing the decree that presaged the end of the franc.

Chirac nonetheless looked ahead, adding: "The answer to global evolution is not to fall back upon oneself, it is action and ambition."

His comments echoed the general sentiment in France and throughout the euro zone, where the single currency has slipped smoothly into daily use.

While the introduction of the euro required certain "adjustments" on the part of the public in early January, there has been no fundamental change in the payment practices of French shoppers, according to Philippe Giraud-Sauveur of the French Banking Federation.

An association monitoring the use of debit cards noted that "following a surge in withdrawals by card in the first two weeks of the euro, the pace returned to normal."

Cash payments by consumers also increased, "not to get rid of francs, as one would have thought, but to become accustomed to using the euro," the Finance Ministry concluded.

The launch of euro cash was followed by reports of price hikes, which could be reflected in France's January inflation report, scheduled for release on February 26.

After February 17, francs can still be exchanged for euros in commercial banks until June 30. The French Central Bank will continue to change franc coins for euros for another three years and bills for 10 years.

Old franc notes will head for shredders or furnaces, and coins will either be destroyed or recycled, with some destined to become euros.

CAPTION A tobacconist changes a 100-franc banknote for a plastic bag filled with euro coins in this file photo in Nice, southern France.