Banking
Unsurprisingly, the most common way to pay in France is by bank card. You can use your bank card from your country if your bank has an international option that will avoid you paying fees. If you need to open a French bank account, you’ll find some useful information below.
It’s important to note that with French bank accounts, it’s normal to pay a monthly fee for your account, and an annual fee for your bank card.
Expressions
In France, we use the initials ‘CB’ to mean carte bancaire (bank card). It’s also sometimes called a carte bleue.
When talking about cash, we often use the words espèces, liquide and monnaie.
Traditional banks
There are many banks in France, each offering different services. You can compare them on this dedicated government website: https://www.tarifs-bancaires.gouv.fr/.
To open a bank account, you’ll normally need to go to the bank and request an appointment. Don’t forget to ask what documents you’ll need to to bring. The most-used banks by Marseille residents who answered our survey were:
- Crédit Agricole
- La Banque Postale
- LCL
- Caisse d’Epargne
Online banks and neobanks
Most banks also offer online-only bank accounts, you just need to ask them. You’ll need less documents to open this kind of account.
If you have just arrived and you need a French bank account quickly, you can open a ‘Nickel’ account in 5 minutes in a newsagent : https://nickel.eu/fr.
The following banks were recommended by those who answered our questionnaire:
- Revolut
- Boursobank
- N26
Getting a good deal
Some banks have special offers for students, and even give you some money when you open an account.
Be careful when you sign a contract at a bank: pay close attention to hidden and annual costs, and don’t hesitate to ask your bank for a precise summary.
Ethical banking
You might want to find out more about how ethical different banks are before you choose which one to bank with. What makes a bank more or less ethical? How they use the money that you save with them. Have a read of this article to find out about the most ethical French banks: https://www.retreeb.com/blog/5-ethical-banks
Header photo : Stéphane Pachot
