“To maintain order in your bureaucratic life, you more or less have to stay home; go away for any length of time and you’re always likely to run foul of some agency or another.” – Michel Houellebecq, Submission One of … Continue reading
Societe Generale
Firing Société Générale
One of the earliest articles for this blog was about my experience getting my first French bank account at Société Générale. The process was relatively painless, but that was before FATCA came into force and made life more challenging for … Continue reading
Yes, You Should Get a French Bank Account
A friend recently wrote an account of her experience getting a bank account in France and it reminded me to do an update of my various thoughts on this topic beyond my first time getting a personal account, a business … Continue reading
Troubleshooting: Branchless Bank Accounts
Article updated July 2022 for accuracy. Some time ago I was sitting with some friends and the conversation turned to banks and bank fees. Both of my friends shared how much they hated “establishment” banks and described with relish how … Continue reading
Profession Liberale Visa: Part 2 (90 Days Later)
Ninety days after you obtain your profession libérale visa, assuming you have done everything correctly after that momentous day at the prefecture, you will have a number of new documents to present to the Prefecture for your follow-up visit. Chief … Continue reading
Getting a Bank Debit Card in France
It’s actually not that hard to get a bank account in France. What’s hard is getting your debit card. To open an account, stop in at your local bank of choice (I chose Société Générale because it was and is … Continue reading