2. Which French Bank?

  1. French High Street Banks
  2. International/Offshore Banking
  3. Internet Banks
  4. Conclusion: Which Bank?

2.4. Conclusion: Which French Bank?

There is no simple or clear answer as to what is the best value or most suitable bank in France.

However, the on-line banks now offer a very competitive alternative to the High Street banks, so if you do not need to use one of the main retail banks, you would unquestionably be better off going on-line.

One of the difficulities in making a comparison between the High Stree banks is the regional structure that operates in some banks, leading to different offers and types of services in different parts of the country.

In addition, the 'best bank' is always going to be in the eyes of the beholder, for we each have different views of what we want from a bank and how we perceive the services they offer. For some it will be the bank that is cheapest; for others nothing short of a premium rate brand or service will do.

In coming to your decision you need to decide the services that are most important to you and to compare their offers. In particular:

  • How important is a local branch near your home?
  • How satisfied are you with the level of customer service in the bank?
  • How important is a national branch network to you?
  • How important is a bilingual service to you?
  • What does the bank charge for particular services?
  • What levels of interest do they offer on deposit accounts?
  • Will they grant you a mortgage?
  • How good are their on-line facilities?
  • Do they offer overdraft facilities to non-residents?

The French government do provide an on-line service where you can compare the rates offered by different banks, although it is entirely in French and it is not the easiest site to use; some of the terminology is obscure, not all the tariffs for all services are shown and the price comparisons provided are for different individual services. In addition, you would be best to verify the information with the bank you propose to use as some of the rates are negotiable.

The service can be found at Tarifs-bancaires.

As we develop these pages we will try to offer more guidance to help you make the choice, but we would like to hear of your own experiences, so do please tell us of them by contacting us at editor@french-property.com

Next: Opening a French Bank Account

Back: Internet Banks

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