Just for interest I contacted CA because my children each have their own accounts with them from back when we were CA customers. My eldest daughter 15 in a few weeks is now taking responsibility for her own money so we thought we’d get he a debit card so we can put money in and she can get money out either here in France or in UK. CA said no problem they’ll give her a Mosaic card but it’ll cost her 12 Euro a year and she can have a Mastercard next year when she’s 16. Presumably they think she’s working at 15 to be able to afford bank charges such as this. Poor show in my opinion!
I use Boursorama who are completely online (though you can phone them) - they’re the closest we’ve found to the online banking services we were used to in the UK. I pay postage to get a chequebook but that’s about all I’ve paid. The debit card is free. (www.boursorama-banque.com)
I have no problem with the CA here in the Rhone, their online facilities are OK, only thing I can’t do is to organise directs payments outside of the Euro zone.
good point Tracy, we’ll probably move bank too for that very reason when we move to Burgundy. There are some interesting offshore banks (Euros) with full online banking/cards/ standing orders etc or as someone else said the French online banks. Not having a “national” bank is a bit of a pain.
Not many people realise that each Credit Agricole is a separate bank so no good at all if you intend to change regions! CA Bourgogne is no more use to you than CIC if your account is held with CA de Savoie!
AXA is another consideration. However, if you are an auto entre, you have to have been trading for 3 years before they will take you. as AE hasn’t been going that long - it’s obviously impossible right now.
However!! if you still have a UK address, you could set it up there, as AXA is international. it doesn’t charge you to use AXA cashpoints in any country either.
Yes, we couldn’t agree more, French banks are indeed like mafia.
This may be a surprising exception, check out the tarifs: Tarifs
Yes, I remember mountains of paperwork, more than our French mortgage! Maybe a good first bank, somewhere to keep funds and general card payments etc, but honestly, truly hopeless if you ever need more than that. Pretty sure no other bank in France, including a regular local CA bank requires such a huge amount of information to open an account. As you correctly point out having a CA Britline account is useless if you want to do any local banking e.g. getting a reasonable amount of “cash” (more than the “limited” weekly withdrawl from an ATM) out for your local builder for example as they’re the same name but not related in any useful way!
Hi Suzi
We opened a Credit Agricole Britline account from the UK, with no problems except that it is necessary to get exactly the right paperwork. This included a written banker’s reference which took ages to get and ended up not having the correct information on it - our advice is to make sure the necessary information is included in the formal, written request for the reference.
We’ve been using the account for everyday transactions ever since, and have access to it via the internet, with good customer service so far. We will, however, be reviewing it soon to see if we’re getting value for money, as there are monthly charges.
Also, we do find it a bit disconcerting that our local Credit Agricole doesn’t regard us as a customer: CA branches operate independently of one another (grouped into regions I think), and while we live near Toulouse, Britline operates out of Normandy, so it’s not our ‘local’ branch. It’s been a good first bank account for us, though.
Hi Suzi,
Second time I lost 15 minutes worth of writing (GGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!). Something on this forum doesn’t function the way it should.
As said before stay away from French banks except for the 2 online banks Boursorama Banque and Fortuneo. The latter is brand new, voted best client services 2010, but just too new to know how they’ll do later on. Boursorama was voted best and also least costly bank for the last 4 years in a row and this bank is quite probably the most efficient outfit in France.
Cost; transactions practically all free (France and Euro zone free), as is the credit card, the checks, etc. Online banking is impec, which is not strange because the bank was set up to be an online bank. If you work with stocks or options this bank is also the best choice because this is where they originated. Have a look here: http://www.boursorama.com/
French branches of Dutch banks like ING are to be avoided because they’ll offer only reasonable services as long as they need to in order to expand their French user base. As soon as that’s done they’ll become like the horror bank they have become in the Netherlands. Years ago ING used to be the NMB Bank which was one of the most reliable and service offering banks in the Netherlands, known for its efficiency, with many free services, free envelopes, free mailing, etc. Their slogan was: “NMB denkt met je mee!” (NMB’s thinking with you!") and this was perfectly true. But last year even my mother, a 60 year client of what’s now ING, had had enough BS and closed her account.
Wishing you good luck!
Jan
Yes I was thinking of trying an online bank. There is also bforbank. However, I don’t see why French banks are worse than any others.
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.