France

chessfou

Another useful one I've come across is https://www.lemoneymag.fr - lots of info and the (many) calculators are handy.

tiddles

Thanks, everyone, for all the info.

cherrybeena

Hi

Bit late to come into this thread so I hope there is still someone out there, but at last I've found someone talking about overseas bank accounts!
Can anyone help, I am looking to open an account with my hubby as quickly as possible in order to pay our DDs in France.

We have a couple of issues! we just got married (not an issue at present!), we don't have a joint current here. My docs are confusing because of recent name changes and we don't have the cash to have 3000Euros or similar sitting in a French bank account because this is their idea of a zero balance!!

Any ideas or clear, concise websites I can visit?

Any help much appreciated, we have CA details which requires the 'jumping of the hoops'! and Barclaycard who want us to leave lots of cash with them for the priveledge.

Thanks

droopsnout

Can't imagine why CA (in their Britline guise) are requiring you to jump through hoops. I guess you have already done so, but try https://www.britline.com.

pigeonpie

Don't know where you are, droopsnout. I have had excellent service from the Banque Populaire du Sud Ouest (Aquitaine only, altho just bought by a Spanish bank so not sure of the implications). Good online banking but at 5 euros per month as unlike in the UK they prefer you to go into the branch. Very few charges except quite high annual card charge - don't bother with their gold card, just get a carte bleue as they are all debit cards anyhow so gold is just snob value (ok so it has some travel insurance extras)

On phones - FT definitely charge on top of Telerabais, the override operator.
There's nothing really like this site as we found the french far less into shopping and consumer culture than here, at least down the south west. As for the alternative ISPs (FAIs) none of them proved reliable so got stuck with wanadon't.

Steep learning curve if you want to integrate but it's great and the wine is a lottttt cheaper ;-))

droopsnout

Hi, pigeonpie.

We are on the Gers/Tarn-et-Garonne/Lot-et-Garonne borders.

Am very happy with Credit Agricole, except for 32 euro annual charge for CB, plus 16 for second card. No interest, of course. They recently opened savings accounts for us over the nternet (with postal form to sign) very efficiently, and also in English, if that's important for folks. No monthly charges, but they do have a 5-euro-monthly package which many find useful, allowing overdrafts and reduced charges on certain services.

We now use Les Minutes Direct for the phone. Charges are 7.8 centimes for connection (that's the steep bit), plus 2.8 centimes for peak time calls or 1.1 centimes for off-peak.

Yes, integration is difficult, depending on the social circumstances of the people where you settle. If there are people recently widowed, etc., who are looking for new company, this can be useful. Otherwise most folk already have their own social circles, into which it is difficult, especially as a foreigner, to break. However, the people in our village are mainly very friendly, and, although they don't just pop in at any time, some do come and knock or call over the hedge.

For internet connection, I initially and unwillingly used AOL, but quickly changed after trial period to Cario (then an offshoot of CA bank), but have been with Tiscali (now Alice) for getting on for three years.

To help integration, and to maintain the standard of my French, I do a couple of hours a week voluntary work at my local tourist office. I am now retired, and am extremely busy on one project or another!!

benmills

Thanks for all the great advice in this thread. I bought a farmhouse in the Tarn near Albi to restore so i'm jumping about organising stuff - this is perfect. Can I add my own two penneth - LD Lines cheap ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre £66 week return last week 4 people and a car. It's basic but makes the channel affordable at last. Take your own picnic.

I have also noticed the curious way the Brits adopt this Memsahib attitude in Europe and ignore local culture, it must be insecurity, and I find myself pretending to be French when I am around lots of ex-pats. We are a funny lot

Currencies Direct sold the cheapest Euros for the purchase - but the euro is strong at the moment.