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Which banks are best (easiest) for setting up an account, when you first arrive in France?

Thanks in advance.

We use Credit Agricole Britline. They've been good for us, with helpful English speaking staff. No complaints whatsoever.

Thank you.

Any other recommendations anyone can make are welcome too...

I used Caisse D'Epargne, their service is excellent, They are a Building Society, but offer all the banking services.

Remember that Credit Ag, has recently got downgraded, by the assessment agencies.

we bank with HSBC. We opened the accounts whilst still in the UK and when we moved to France they arranged the opening of our French HSBC accounts. Although tax residents in France we still hold HSBC UK accounts which makes the transfer of private pensions to HSBC France easier a simple online process. We have a dedicated English account manager who is based in Toulouse.
I highly recommend the bank and will provide more details if you send me a pm.

I wouldn't choose Credit Agricole. They are part-owned by the government and known to be more inefficient and bureaucratic than others. The HSBC service sound good but it works out more expensive than using a normal French bank and a specialised foreign-exchange broker, like MoneyCorp. The benefits of having your French and UK accounts in the same bank are insignificant as far as I can tell.

I would choose a bank that has the kind of account you need and doesn't have too many charges. Although free banking doesn't exist in France.

I use Banque Populaire. They are not perfect but I think they are quite good for me. However, my requirements are not the norm.

Like Jon we use and are happy with Banque Pop. We also have an account with HSBC in Carcassonne where there are plenty of English speakers who will come to Perpignan for meetings and if we want to go to them Carcassonne is nearer! And with a better KFC!

John

Thanks everyone for these suggestions.

What I am really after is a bank that will be willing to open an account with the least amount of fuss. (I'm not British, either, so from what I checked online the Britline one won't work for me.)

I guess the paperwork required varies from bank to bank, and the time taken...?

The CA Argeles may have its faults but they were prepared to listen and give us their time. We arrived in France, permanently, 7 years ago at the end of next December. We made an appointment with the CA at about 4 pm. My husband spoke no french and I only had school french (below O level some 40 years previous). We didnt leave the bank until around 6 pm, all the staff having to remain after closing until we were sorted. They were patient and explained everything in french with a smattering of english thrown in. We couldnt fault them.

I'm with you Sue, I can only speak as I find but we are extremely happy with the service provided by Credit Agricole.
Ps did I catch a glimpse of you at the sausage collection at St Jean Pla de Corts on Thursday?

You did. Were you with your wife. I saw a couple I thought I recognised but couldnt put a name to the faces. Apologies.

John & Elaine wrote: if we want to go to them Carcassonne is nearer! And with a better KFC! John

We live in the country of Haute Cuisine !

There are times,when you have English children visiting, that only an English sausage will do!!!

I use Britline - to me it is crucial to fully understand financial matters and communications! They are not perfect but they do the job.

I don't think banking without fuss exists in France, another excuse for the beaurocrats to get their oars in. I couldn't believe it when I went to CA in Ceret to try to deposit 50 euros in cash to avoid going overdrawn at CA Normandie when I had spent a little too much on the card by accident. A very haughty lady told me 'We don't handle cash!' ...... but you're a bank!?

For real fuss-free banking in the UK I use First Direct and cannot recommend them highly enough - if only they operated in France!

tubs wrote:There are times,when you have English children visiting, that only an English sausage will do!!!

What's wrong with Catalan or Toulousain sausages: Traitor !

Too much fat!

Toulouse, Catalan or merguez for me every time, fine. For children not used to chewing anything, not so fine!!!

Ps sorry Kate for completely going off topic.

No lets go off topic.
I have recently asked an artisan sausage maker in deepest Ayrshire Scotland if they they would make me some Merguez, (suffering from withdrawal symptoms) and you can't find them in the shops around here. They have asked for a recipe - can anyone provide a link to a good merguez sausage recipe?

Thanks in advance.
Ian

Ian wrote:No lets go off topic.
I have recently asked an artisan sausage maker in deepest Ayrshire Scotland if they they would make me some Merguez, (suffering from withdrawal symptoms) and you can't find them in the shops around here. They have asked for a recipe - can anyone provide a link to a good merguez sausage recipe?

Thanks in advance.
Ian

Voila Ian! Bonne app !

http://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recett ... 28983.aspx

Oh by the way i've been with Credit Mutuel in Perps for the last 11 years. They need the occasional kick up the **** on the telephone "de temps un temps" but i find them ok.

Good luck with the BBQ up there in Ayrshire !

Santiago wrote:
I would choose a bank that has the kind of account you need and doesn't have too many charges. Although free banking doesn't exist in France.

.

I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Sue wrote:Too much fat!

tubs wrote:Toulouse, Catalan or merguez for me every time, fine. For children not used to chewing anything, not so fine!!!

Ian wrote:No lets go off topic.
I have recently asked an artisan sausage maker in deepest Ayrshire Scotland if they they would make me some Merguez, (suffering from withdrawal symptoms) and you can't find them in the shops around here. They have asked for a recipe - can anyone provide a link to a good merguez sausage recipe?

Thanks in advance.
Ian

It would appear that provided, you get good sausages, within the PO, the Banks do not matter

GreenHermit wrote:

Sue wrote:Too much fat!

tubs wrote:Toulouse, Catalan or merguez for me every time, fine. For children not used to chewing anything, not so fine!!!

Ian wrote:No lets go off topic.
I have recently asked an artisan sausage maker in deepest Ayrshire Scotland if they they would make me some Merguez, (suffering from withdrawal symptoms) and you can't find them in the shops around here. They have asked for a recipe - can anyone provide a link to a good merguez sausage recipe?

Thanks in advance.
Ian

It would appear that provided, you get good sausages, within the PO, the Banks do not matter

And some great tasting olives too!

Allan wrote:

Santiago wrote:
I would choose a bank that has the kind of account you need and doesn't have too many charges. Although free banking doesn't exist in France.

.

I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Really?

What are the conditions? What's the minimum balance for example and does it come with a cheque book, debit card, ability to withdraw from any cashpoint and can you set up virements, TIPs and so on?

Santiago wrote:

Allan wrote:

Santiago wrote:
I would choose a bank that has the kind of account you need and doesn't have too many charges. Although free banking doesn't exist in France.

.

I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Really?

What are the conditions? What's the minimum balance for example and does it come with a cheque book, debit card, ability to withdraw from any cashpoint and can you set up virements, TIPs and so on?

Yes it comes with a cheque book, debit card, has internet banking,virements, TIPs etc - just like any other bank account

I don't know about minimum balances as I negotiated directly with the bank. The package is called Barclays Premier Life

Allan wrote: I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Sorry I was under the impression you lived in France, and supported the French economy, not the UK!

GreenHermit wrote:

Allan wrote: I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Sorry I was under the impression you lived in France, and supported the French economy, not the UK!

Seems like he has his own Economy.

'To be eligible to join Premier Banking you must have an annual gross income paid into a Barclays current account of £75,000+ or £50,000+ saved or invested through Barclays. If you meet and continue to meet these criteria, the Premier Current Account is available for £10 a month.
However, if you have an annual gross income paid into a Barclays current account of £150,000+ or £150,000+ saved or invested with Barclays, this monthly fee will be waived. Eligibility for Premier Banking will be reviewed regularly.'

Do you need a new friend Allan?

Owens88 wrote:

GreenHermit wrote:

Allan wrote: I get free banking from Barclays in Montpellier - and they speak English

Sorry I was under the impression you lived in France, and supported the French economy, not the UK!

Seems like he has his own Economy.

'To be eligible to join Premier Banking you must have an annual gross income paid into a Barclays current account of £75,000+ or £50,000+ saved or invested through Barclays. If you meet and continue to meet these criteria, the Premier Current Account is available for £10 a month.
However, if you have an annual gross income paid into a Barclays current account of £150,000+ or £150,000+ saved or invested with Barclays, this monthly fee will be waived. Eligibility for Premier Banking will be reviewed regularly.'

I don't know which account you are talking about but my account with Barclays France has none of the restrictions you refer to and as far as I know is available to anyone.

On a different note it is pretty galling for people to make suggestions of what my income/savings might or might not be.

I tried to make a helpfully comment on the availability of free banking not to have my private finances discussed.

I sort of knew this thread would lead to that kind of stuff

There is always a tendency to begrudge other forumites their money or what they choose to spend it on.

I looked at Allen's suggestion and it does look like a good account. You don't need the incomes suggested in the above posts but you do need a sizeable deposit to open it which would probably only suit someone based here.

Thanks Allen for the good tip.

We opened a Credit Agricole account in Prades about 6 years ago, but they insisted we also have a Borse account as well, which we said we didn't want and for which they charge us 2 euros a month for. Wouldn't open the normal account without it.

Last year they threatened to close the Borse account as we've never used it! Still charging us for it though. Plus 5.95 euro for the basic account.

I plan on moving banks after we move out full time in a fortnight...

Cheers,

Chris