euro's - coins

[tonyb]

Hi,
I found this forum and hoped somebody could help!
Basically, when my parents/relatives/freinds got un holiday they generally come back with pockets full of coins that the cant exchange (everything below 1 + 2 euro coins). Ive been happilly accepting these coins for my collection and have now got alomost 3 biscuit tins full of euros (including one large tin of 50 cent peices!) Im thinking about taking the eurostar or a ferry to france in the hope of exchanging them for euro notes then exchanging them for uk pounds at the travelex so i can start my xmas shopping. would this be possible..? does france have the automatic coin sorting machines like the uk? do i have to put the coins in little plastic post office bags like over here..? do i need a bank account to exchange? is there a minimum...? any advice would be great! Ive only been to France once before, i went to paris and stayed at the hilton in a garden view room and i could see the Eiffel Tower from my window!... Looks kinda cool at night when it goes all sparkly!
Merci!
Tony