Washy Firstly can I say I'm no financial expert - this is just our experience for what it's worth. We (like many others in a similar position) retained our UK bank accounts when we moved to France, for UK based income to be paid into (it also enabled us to retain that all important relationship with our UK bank manager !). Our happens to be with Bank of Scotland, who operate a good internet banking service, which we find essential (but most/all other banks do also) : http://www.bankofscotland.co.uk/ We also have an Offshore Instant Access Account (again with BoS) that we use to store money in until we need it in France. We use a sterling account, and try and transfer money to France as/when the Euro is relatively low against the pound. Whether you do likewise, or (as you plan) use a Euro offshore account simply depends I guess on whether you believe you will get a better exchange rate now or in future. Some articles we've read project a 10% fall in value of the pound when it enters Euro - but when is anyone's guess ! Transfers we do via internet banking - transferring from BoS Offshore account to Credit Agricole via CA's London branch. Takes about 7 days and costs about 13 pounds. BoS do also do direct transfers to France, which I should use - but just haven't found the time to investigate ! There are however 101 ways of transferring money - each of which seems to have its evangelists ! Ours just suits us ! Our understanding is that you can retain any ISAs you purchased before you became French resident (and retain UK tax exemption on them - but French tax may need to be paid anyway) - but you cannot purchase further ISAs once you've become French residents (but of course nothing to stop you buying the underlying Unit Trust/whatever investments). We were actually advised to sell our ISAs before leaving UK and invest the money in French tax-efficient investments - but we didn't do so (mainly through lack of time again, but also following the golden rule of "only invest in things you understand" and we understand French investments even less than we do UK ones !) For proper tax advice we use (and would strongly recommend) Pannell Kerr Forster (Guernsey) : http://www.pkfguernsey.com/ They also publish an excellent annual book "Taxation in France". Hope some of above may be of interest - best wishes for your move ! Chris and Martin