There are many banks to choose from in France and almost all offer a wide range of services, so you should easily be able to find one that suits you. As with UK current accounts, if you open a current account in France you will be paid a negligible amount of interest. Some banks in the towns and cities have English speaking staff and if you do struggle with the language it is worth opting for one of these.

Residents of France may be asked to prove that they have severed financial ties with their home country, so you may be expected to close other accounts. One option if you want a ‘UK’ account is to open an offshore account based in the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man. Only those who are planning to spend more than 3 months in France are able to open a ‘compte courant’ – a current account. You will need to provide proof of identity, proof of residency and proof of address. You may be asked to provide a reference from your former bank, although few banks do this now.

A resident may be able to obtain credit services with a bank, subject to status. You would need to apply directly to your branch if you want to have an overdraft or a credit card. Loans are possible for expats through their bank, but you need to ensure that you have the means to repay them. Mortgages are generally available for expats who are residents and have a good income and a good credit rating.

If you are a non-resident, for example, if you only have a second home in the country, you are able to open a ‘compte non-résident’. In order to open this type of account you will need to provide previous bank statements (the number depends on the bank) and a utility bill, but none of these can be more than 3 months old. The accounts work in a similar way but a non-resident is not able to apply for a credit card or overdraft. You are able to set up a joint account if you need to.

A debit card in France is known as a ‘carte bleue’. This can be used in many retail outlets to pay for goods directly from your bank account. If you need to use the card in more than one country you should request an international carte bleue. The cards now use the ‘chip and pin’ payment system, so you will need to punch in a number each time you use it. No outlet now accepts a signature as proof of payment. The main difference with these cards and those issued in the UK is that you are expected to pay a fee for them, usually €30 a year. With some transactions you can also opt to have the money removed from your bank at the end of the month, instead of at the time of transaction.

If you are trying to pay for something by cheque in France you may be asked to provide some ID. A cheque is treated as a cash transaction and you cannot write a cheque if your account is overdrawn. Post-dating cheques is also not permitted. If you write a cheque that bounces you will be blacklisted and it is unlikely that you would be allowed to open a bank account again. Few financial agencies will offer you credit in these circumstances too.

An important part of banking is the RIB (relevé d’identité bancaire). This gives all the relevant details of your bank account and you will be asked to present this if you want to pay bills by direct debit.

Banking hours in France see branches open either at 8.30 am or 9 am. Most will close any time between 4 pm and 5.30 pm. In some rural areas branches will close at lunchtimes. There are some branches which offer services on a Saturday morning and if they do they may be closed on a Monday. There are ATM machines at all banks and in shopping centres and supermarkets. The banking system in France is reliable and efficient and most banks are able to offer their customers online services, telephone banking and in some cases mobile banking services.

France has many banks to choose from, from the Banque Accord which offers internet banking services to the international banks such as Barclays and HSBC. Credit Agricole has a section which is designed to help those who are moving to the country. Many of their websites have sections in English and helpful FAQ sections on the various services offered. The French post office, La Poste, now offers banking services to its customers.