We’ve been with BPop for at least 10 years (since we moved to the Charente) and whilst I would prefer cheaper banking (a la UK style) they do us well with only one real niggle… we use their app to download the monthly account statement and I’m buggered if I can found out how to stop the paper version which persists appearing in our post box days after I’ve already printed it.
Too lazy to go in to the Branch and ask 
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We were buying our first property in France and we needed to have an account.
We didn’t search around, just took the nearest, in fact the only one in our nearest village… so CAgricole it was and still is.
Frankly, nothing in the intervening years has made me want to move away, not from the house, not from the bank.
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Ditto. 
There is one of the U.K. banks that does this, I forget which, and sends you a letter in the post every time you get in touch with them or change anything on the account, even if you do everything online with them, and no way yet to turn it off. 
It’s good to hear your thoughts though, if I can’t find an ethical bank I may still end up with them so it’s useful, I just thought that if I’m going to pay a monthly fee for a bank account I don’t really use it would be nice if it was one which was actually doing some good, instead of evil, in the world, but that doesn’t seem to be a french thing yet like it is elsewhere. If Revolut ever get round to the french IBAN I guess I won’t need one at all, but who knows if/when it will actually arrive.
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If Revolut got a French IBAN it too would be my goto bank account here,at the moment I am with CA and luckily I have had nothing to complain about with them.
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Used CA for years, long before we moved here and always been quite happy, though still quite departmentally segregated (as constituted) operationally. Just need to accept no free dinner aka banking in France!
Simple answer is surely do not keep withdrawing small amounts on Sterling or U.K. account. Transfer a chunk into a French account by using say TorFx and use Apple Pay or Contactless for most of your transactions. It’s mostly only the dodgy builder who demands cash nowadays. Cash for every day living is practically dead. The only charge you have is the exchange rate and TorFx beat everyone on their rates which are very close to the bank rate. You can also be a bit canny and do an exchange by getting a good rate by following exchange rate trends. Just hold until there is a bit of bad EU financial or political news and then make your exchange.
Except Revolut
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Taken advice given on this thread, withdrew cash at La Poste and no charge 
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There are a few that you can withdraw for free - I have only been charged by CA
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