French banks are notorious for the complexity, obscurity and sheer number of charges, but the situation is supposed to improve in 2011.

One tip for choosing an account would be to work out which services you need and ask for the charges. It is normal to pay a monthly fee for an account or credit card but shop around and be ruthless.

French banks still operate with a strong focus on local branches. The upside is that you are more likely to find a real-life bank manager with a phone number you can call rather than a series of robots leading to an operator in India.

The downside is that you may not be able to pay in a cheque to just any branch of a bank, regardless of whether it is a national, or even international chain.

Useful tip

• If you are opening a joint account, pay careful attention to the wording: the difference between “M et Mme” and “M ou Mme” is the difference between having your account frozen or kept active if your partner dies. The latter means that either partner can make transactions without permission of the other. It also allows the surviving partner to continue using the account.

In the full Moving to France helpguide, we explain:

• How to open a bank account in France
• The documents you will need to provide
• Non-resident accounts
• Tax-free savings and the rates paid
• Accounts for young people
• Opening a basic account if your bank rejects your application
• Other financial products and services on offer
• Where to get banking help in English

Download the guide as a PDF now from this link
…or ask a question about this topic in the comment box below.