Thanks for all the advice guys. I just got from an exploratory trip and found that the two banks I tried, BNP Parisbas, and CIC both wanted proof of address (three recent utility bills), and my UK address would not do. When checking out apartments via real estate agents they wanted 3 recent pay slips, and a certificate from my bank saying that I was a 'good' customer. A real chicken/egg situation here, you need a bank account to get an apartment, and you need a local address to get a bank account. However, not is all lost. I am with HSBC in the UK, and a Premium customer. When I phoned them today they said they could set up a bank account in Paris for me, and transfer my 'good' credit history to them. They are sending me some forms, which I then take into my local branch, with supporting docs, and they will validate them for me. Thanks again, Wibs