I have a ‘conventional’ bank account with a well known French ‘rural’ bank. My pension from the UK is paid into this and I use it to pay all the rates, insurance, water, 'phone etc;. Like most French banks it’s charges are high, it’s not very effecient and I need an (expensive) card to draw money out. I have now opened an online bank, Boursorama ( there are others ) I have a cheque book, card and all my banking is free. I use a transfer company to exchange my £ - euros from my British bank so pay little commision. It notifies me by sms when the account is used above a certain sum. This allows me to keep a strong control and stops fraudulent use.
I am very happy with it’s services, I keep a minimum in my convential bank (for the moment) and have cancelled it’s card therefore saving a large fee.
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Any Bank which is not very efficient, needs sorting out…
We’re all different with our needs and expectations…in a similar situation to Ann Coe… I would suggest a talk with your Local Banker to explain what it is that you don’t like, or find infuriating etc…and maybe it will get sorted. Not always, but it can be done… 
If it doesn’t get sorted… then, thankfully there are lots of other Banks (off and on-line) to choose from and it has never been easier to change Banks than it is today…
Did try that Stella, had a discussion with the Manager about the problems I had encountered. I speak reasonable French so no problems, he was unhelpful and even said English banks are no better !
I did warn him that he would lose a lot of my business as I would go on line. He had the nerve to say ‘Oh but then you wouldn’t have a personal service’ . I laughed all the way to the Internet !
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Another alternative is to use the Post Office banking service ------ La Banque Postale.
The account charges are very reasonable, and there is no charge for a cashpoint card. Full online banking services are available, as well as personal advice from a ‘Conseilleur’ at the local post office.
There is also a full range of other allied services available such as a top up Mutuelle for health insurance, plus the various other types of insurance such as household, motor, and funeral expenses, all for a very reasonable cost. All in all I think that they give a good service at a reasonable cost, especially when one considers the value of the travel insurance which comes free when you buy tickets using a Banque Postale debit card.
P.S. By the way. No, I don’t have any financial interest in drumming up trade for La Poste.