Banking in France
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Banking in France is similar to in the UK, with one main exception, that being that it is illegal to write a cheque without sufficient funds in the account to cover it.
To open a bank account in France you will need proof of identity, normally a passport or other National Identity card, and proof of an address in France, usually an electricity or telephone bill (you however can have post sent to your UK or other overseas address if you wish) Accounts can often be opened on the spot, so you are given your account number and can pay money into your account. Cheque books (un chequier) and bank debit cards (une carte bancaire, often referred to as une carte bleue) take a week or two to arrive at your branch. You may be offered an overdraft facility, higher grade bank cards including insurance, internet banking etc. Most of these extra services also involve extra charges, so you need to decide which of them is worth having.
Once the account is up and running you will normally receive a statement (relevé de compte) once a month, although you can choose to have them more or less often and can also choose the date of the month you would like them to be sent. Online banking is also available if your prefer.
To transfer money into your account you can use cash (3000 euro maximum legal limit, and some banks don't like dealing with even this amount of cash), pay in a cheque or transfer money from another French or an international account (virement) Be aware that bank transfers over 6000 will be flagged and you may be asked for details about the transfer and the source of the money due to money-laundering regulations.
You may also need to set up some direct debits (prélèvements automatiques) to pay bills etc. The forms for these, if required, are usually sent by the service provider and you will be asked to send them a RIB (relevé d'identité bancaire) which shows all your account details. RIB's can be printed for you when you set up your account, there is often one attached to the bottom of your bank statement and a couple in the back of your cheque book. If you're intending to live in France, it might be an idea to ask for a supply of RIBs to be printed to begin with. You need them also for schools, insurance companies, the CAF, health providers etc. In my experience you can never have too many RIBs!
You will also need to know how to write a French cheque, easy when you know how! You write the sum in words at the top and the name of the person or organisation to which the cheque is payable underneath, where it says 'a' . You then write the sum in figures in the box as normal and indicate the place where you signed the cheque, and the date signed, and you sign underneath.
As with other services, it's worth shopping around for bank accounts, comparing charges etc. I personally use and am happy with Banque Tarneaud,
www.tarneaud.fr
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