We are with LCL and I wouldn’t recommend it. Due to my poor French I went with one that promised English spoken only to discover the extent of spoken English was limited to greetings, please and thank you. You can’t opperate the account without cards for which we have to pay a fee of 3.33 euros each card, each month and that is without all the other costs that creep onto our statements. I’m not exactly sure how you would be able to open it unless you have a French address as one of the requirements was a utility bill in both our names (and no they would not accept two, one in my husbands name and one in mine for the same address). Finally we were told it was not possible to have an account that pays interest until we had been with the bank for two years. Good luck
Well, following this conversation I asked the bank to do something - and instead of doing it they sent me an email saying they wanted to schedule a telephone meeting. This is what annoys me - failure to follow straightforward requests/instructions, and a preference for a meeting because it affects their commission.
we found they were responsive, polite , friendly etc but when you actually need to get them to do proper “banking” they were hopeless. We’ve found a personal, face to face relationship much, much better for actual banking (with CIC)
We’ve opened a Credit Agricole Britline account… Downloaded a the forms online and spent a couple of weeks (!) getting together the “Actual Mountain Of Paperwork” required. We followed the RULES to the letter… I have found them to be exceptionally helpful - I have a personal contact there now and she pings emails back! We’ve also opened an off-shore account that allows sterling to euro stuff to be done via the phone and online… All easy enough, all good.
My only problem was that Lloyds in the UK mislaid one piece of vital paper for weeks, then lost it, then denied all knowledge… Still, the husband got to do some proper Irish Swearing in Sussex - which made him quite cheery…
Hi David I also previously had a credit agricole account in the village here and dreadful service BUT I changed to Brit Line (credit ag) I have had nothing but lovely service (my French is also passable) I have made transfers to other accounts on the net. I found it much easier dealing with English speakers when I had problems such as having my wallets and cards stolen, they were very helpful. All banks seem to vary according to the management. I have also been trying to run a one womsn for better customer service in France!
We have been with Credit Agricole du Languedoc for a few years. Really dreadful service. Internet service is rubbish! Can’t make a bank transfer to an external account. The branch service better than British service - they are rude and uncooperative in our experience, unlike the branch we use which are helpful. On the other hand not as bad as LCL - managing my 98 year old’ aunt’s account for her, and they have acted so badly that I have nearly been forced to call the police to accuse them of fraud.
By the way (for someone who said this earlier) my french is pretty good and I have to say that I love France, i love french people, and having been here for nearly 4 years i have almost no experience of (legendary) french rudeness - with the exception of the above banks and one awful person in the social security office in Ganges - mind you, she was famously appallingly rude to everyone. I can cope (just about) with french bureaucracy, but the banks drive me nuts. And dammit I have to phone them now because they haven’t done something they were supposed to… again.
Hi I have been with Credit Agricole Brit line for many years - opened the account before moving to France and have always found them very helpful and they have internet services.
We use CIC bank in France, better than most we think as all banks seem to have their issues. On-line banking system is excellent and in English. Can also be operated from a Windows Mobile 7 phone including balances, transfers etc. CA Britline was our 1st bank in France and they were/are in our opinion truly terrible! Any advantages in speaking English are insignificant compared to their poor customer service. CIC have personal and business accounts, credit card terminal is great although took a while to get it. Hope this helps.
We are with Credit Agricole and they have an English section online, if you go to their website right at the top right hand side there is a button for English version.
Hope this helps
Roz
Hi Suzi,
I do my banking online from a US bank, so I have no personal knowledge. My ‘pocket bank’ is my French companion, who complains endlessly about her banking experiences. She and most French believe that banks exist to take your money, so it should not be a surprise to find this same thinking inside the banks you visit. When I asked at Credit Agricole (CA) if there were any services for which they DID NOT charge fees, the branch president stated flatly that they “had to eat, too.”
Due to heavy CA fees and CA customer-care, my friend is transitioning from CA to other banks.
The comments before ring true, and it is perhaps best for one’s humour to leave your expectations at the border.
If you find a bank that does not charge too heavily to put your money in an account, or to later take it out, or to use that money in between those two points in time, please advertise them for us all.
‘David - have to disagree.We use Credit Mutuel and they are excellent, with a good online service.
I have taken loads of clients to them, all of whom are very happy with the service. My business advisor is first class, and they have an all encompassing service, including mobile phones, pay as you go credit cards for the children in our family, good young persons’ accounts, investment portfolios, loan facilities, health and other insurance - I could go on and on.
I would say that the ability to speak French may or may affect initial impressions - a member of my family found this at the start, but as their French improved, so did her opinion of the service she received.
Credit Mutuel would be a consideration @suzie.
Hi Suzy,
we are using HSBC. As all our money is still in the Uk and most of my husband buisness is going to remain there (we think), we find it quite easy to link up with HSBC france ( we opened or account easily, but then again we had an address). Managing your accounts online is pretty easy, although i agree with everyone else, i found the way they work their online transfers…not as easy as when we were doing it with Lloyds. Still, it is easy to transfer money to france from our uk account, you can have an overview of both your account anytime… BUT we pay something like 20euros a months in charges (basically to have a card each and be able to put our money in THEIR bank!!), then again, if you want to have a card you will pay monthly or yearly bank fee wherever you go. Let’s not forget, the people working in our branch (Bayonne) have always been really nice and helpful.
Hope this help.
We use Credit Agricole Britline which is online and in English
French banks are all pretty awful. None have a decent online account, none have facilities to match UK banks. On the other hand they pay smaller bonuses to their CEOs 
Hi. Don’t know about the best but I have a Caisse d’Epargne account since oooo 1992? even from when I was living in the UK. Not sure what their conditions are now for opening “non-resident” accounts. Otherwise, there are lots of banks! Main high st ones are Credit Agricole, Credit Mutuel, Credit Lyonnais (LLC). Regards
Hi Suzi, we use Credit Mutuel for our business and personal account and find their online service fairly easy to use and it is free. I do have some issues with it as I can only get current statement and transactions since current, but nothing older. It is easy to transfer money between our accounts and make payments to UK. The charges for the overseas transactions are actually cheaper than going into the bank and getting them to do it - don’t forget free banking in France is pretty rare, even for personal accounts. We have some friends who use Credit Agricole and when they enquired about online they were told there would be a charge! Hope this helps.
I have banked with Boursorama now for several years, as you say a great service 
Anyone but BNP. The online banking takes an additional email and call and at least a week to do transfers, getting any sort of response from your ever-changing account clerk is nigh on impossible, and there are lots of hidden fees. As someone who has banked all over the world, this is singularly the worst banking experience ever - shame.
- HSBC
- CIC Banque Transatlantique
- Caixa Bank
- Boursorama