You are likely to need a cheque account for everyday transactions such as paying bills and expenses, while a deposit account will be appropriate for holding larger sums, though this may not necessarily be with the same bank - shop around for the account(s) most suited to your needs. If you can, seek recommendations from others in similar situations. If your spoken French is not very good, then try to choose a bank experienced in running resident expat or non-resident accounts. Bear in mind that if you have dealt previously with bank staff at a call centre or head office, their level of spoken English may be higher than that of staff at your local branch.

To open an account, you may need to provide the following:

- A reference from your current bank

- A copy of your passport

- A copy of your signature witnessed by a solicitor (for non-resident accounts)

- Proof of residency status (a utility bill or house purchase agreement, known as the "Compromis de Vente")

- Initial funds - need to pay in some money to open the account

Joint Accounts - be careful with the wording on these. You have the choice of either "Mr and Mrs " (M. et Mme.) or "Mr or Mrs" (M. ou Mme.) - the second option may be preferable, as it means that either person named can sign and draw on the account. The first option requires both account holders to sign. Under the French legal system, in the event of the death of either person, the account would be frozen until their will has been proven, so there would be no access to the money in the meantime.