https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Foreigners in France might be surprised to find their French bank account blocked after making several big purchases - such as booking plane tickets - despite having enough money in their account. Here's why. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251027/explained-payment-limits-on-french-bank-cards Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:03:34 +0100 explained-payment-limits-on-french-bank-cards The French government is set to bring in stricter regulations for bank overdrafts and loans. Here is what changes. https://www.thelocal.fr/20251027/france-tightens-up-bank-rules-for-loans-and-overdrafts Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:47:46 +0100 france-tightens-up-bank-rules-for-loans-and-overdrafts An additional real-time security measure that comes into force on Thursday across the Eurozone puts the onus on users to ensure bank details of financial transfer recipients is accurate. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250926/the-important-eu-banking-security-change-you-need-to-know-about Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:13:22 +0200 the-important-eu-banking-security-change-you-need-to-know-about Are you feeling lost with all the different 'livrets' in France? Here is your guide for the best saving options. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221209/explained-the-best-money-saving-options-for-foreigners-in-france Fri, 09 Dec 2022 13:32:24 +0100 explained-the-best-money-saving-options-for-foreigners-in-france If you open a French bank account, you may also be offered a Livret A saving's account - here's what that means and whether they are a good option for foreigners in France. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221219/what-is-a-livret-a-and-should-foreigners-living-in-france-open-one Mon, 19 Dec 2022 13:12:16 +0100 what-is-a-livret-a-and-should-foreigners-living-in-france-open-one Denmark’s largest bank has agreed to pay a multi-million sum to end legal pursuits in France linked to alleged money laundering in its Estonian subsidiary that resulted in heavy US penalties https://www.thelocal.fr/20240918/danish-bank-to-pay-millions-to-end-french-laundering-probe Wed, 18 Sep 2024 18:27:05 +0200 danish-bank-to-pay-millions-to-end-french-laundering-probe Opening a bank account in France is an important bureaucratic step when moving here, but before making any decisions you should weigh the pros and cons to the two different types of joint accounts available. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240722/the-key-thing-to-know-about-opening-a-joint-bank-account-in-france Mon, 22 Jul 2024 17:00:10 +0200 the-key-thing-to-know-about-opening-a-joint-bank-account-in-france We explain the increasing charges that you can expect from your French bank. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221021/what-you-can-expect-to-pay-in-charges-to-your-french-bank Fri, 21 Oct 2022 18:33:05 +0200 what-you-can-expect-to-pay-in-charges-to-your-french-bank Being unexpectedly charged for a long-forgotten tax or hospital bill in France can be frustrating. Here is what to do if you find yourself needing to contest a bill. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240104/what-is-a-saisie-de-compte-bancaire-in-france-and-how-can-i-contest-it Thu, 04 Jan 2024 16:23:27 +0100 what-is-a-saisie-de-compte-bancaire-in-france-and-how-can-i-contest-it For Americans in France - even those who have spent most of their lives outside of the US - reporting bank accounts, income and personal information to the IRS is a yearly struggle. Here is what they had to say. https://www.thelocal.fr/20231122/divorce-stress-and-fines-how-citizenship-based-taxation-affects-americans-in-france Wed, 22 Nov 2023 18:47:56 +0100 divorce-stress-and-fines-how-citizenship-based-taxation-affects-americans-in-france For several years, Americans have reported being banned from the French mobile payment application 'Lydia'. Here's why. https://www.thelocal.fr/20231005/reader-question-are-americans-really-banned-from-using-frances-lydia-app Thu, 05 Oct 2023 18:58:20 +0200 reader-question-are-americans-really-banned-from-using-frances-lydia-app Brexit has changed many things for Brits living in France - among them rules around pensions, investments and bank accounts. Our financial expert guides you through the potential pitfalls. https://www.thelocal.fr/20221221/ask-the-expert-how-brexit-has-changed-the-rules-on-pensions-investments-and-bank-accounts-for-brits-in-france Wed, 21 Dec 2022 10:20:57 +0100 ask-the-expert-how-brexit-has-changed-the-rules-on-pensions-investments-and-bank-accounts-for-brits-in-france Many foreigners in France - particularly pensioners - need to keep a bank account in their home country, but not all banks will offer accounts to people living abroad. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220729/the-best-banks-for-americans-living-in-france Fri, 29 Jul 2022 10:35:41 +0200 the-best-banks-for-americans-living-in-france One of the largest banking groups in France has revealed that it is hiking the account fees that it charges for non-residents - doubling or even trebling the fee for some groups - in a blow to the many second-home owners in France who set up French accounts to deal with household bills and direct debits. https://www.thelocal.fr/20220331/french-bank-doubles-fees-for-non-residents Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:18:53 +0200 french-bank-doubles-fees-for-non-residents Americans living in France are reporting increasing difficulties opening bank accounts here - and, in some cases, their banks are closing existing accounts down.  https://www.thelocal.fr/20210924/why-americans-are-finding-it-more-difficult-to-open-bank-accounts-in-france Fri, 24 Sep 2021 15:23:50 +0200 why-americans-are-finding-it-more-difficult-to-open-bank-accounts-in-france The Covid pandemic has hastened the decline of a French institution - the cheque book - according to data from the Banque de France, but it seems the French are not ready to let go just yet. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210709/are-cheques-finally-falling-out-of-favour-in-france Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:00:11 +0200 are-cheques-finally-falling-out-of-favour-in-france Opening a bank account in a new country is always confusing, and even more so if you’re not fluent in the language. The types of accounts, fees and jargon are likely to be different, and there are extra challenges for newcomers in setting up an account in France, as Jill Starley-Grainger explains. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210323/everything-you-need-to-know-about-setting-up-a-bank-account-in-france Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:31:29 +0100 everything-you-need-to-know-about-setting-up-a-bank-account-in-france Some of Britain's biggest banks have begun contacting customers in European Union countries, warning them that their accounts will be closed down within weeks because the cost and complexity of operating without a continuation of pan-European banking rules is too much. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200920/brits-in-eu-risk-losing-uk-bank-accounts-within-week Sun, 20 Sep 2020 16:19:03 +0200 brits-in-eu-risk-losing-uk-bank-accounts-within-week Top French bank Société Générale said on Monday the Covid-19 crisis pushed it into a second quarter loss of more than a billion euros as it was forced to increase loss provisions sharply. https://www.thelocal.fr/20200803/top-french-bank-reports-1-billion-losses-due-to-pandemic Mon, 03 Aug 2020 10:59:47 +0200 top-french-bank-reports-1-billion-losses-due-to-pandemic French banking group Societe Generale is planning to cut 1,500 positions in its BFI corporate and investment banking arm, Le Figaro newspaper reported on Saturday. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190223/frances-societe-generale-to-cut-1500-jobs-report Sat, 23 Feb 2019 17:27:27 +0100 frances-societe-generale-to-cut-1500-jobs-report