Which bank ?

[hamlets_shrink]

Has anyone had experience with Barclays France ? They do something

called a 'Compte Cheque Dynamic' account, does anyone have any idea

what kind of returns could be expected with this account ? there's not

much explaination on their site.

Thanks in advance for any thoughts

[Cassis]

The site gives this info:

The « Compte Chèque Dynamique » is the account which, in the Barclays range, brings you a complete range of services, ease of use and return on the money in your account.

	An immediate return : above a limit predetermined by you, your liquid assets are automatically invested in a money market mutual fund “Barclays Investissement Patrimonial”.
	A total ease of use : Barclays makes a complete range of means of payment available to you : payment and withdrawal cards, chequebook, transfers, direct debit. Your money is always available.
	A single value date : all your credit as well as debit transactions enjoy a particularly favourable value date.
	Your returns capitalised or realised :if you so wish, your current account can be credited with returns made from the investments every quarter.
	Sliding scale of charges : the service charged for the running of your account, are on a sliding scale. Moreover, the services become free once your deposits reach a certain amount.

Sounds like charges vary according to the account balance so best bet would be to contact Barclays for details of current terms.  It does not say this account gives interest - you set a level above which the capital is transferred to "Barclays Investissement

Patrimonial".  But as you say, there is next to no info on this on the site.  Does it sound like it may be a stock market investment to you?  It does to me, in which case there would be no guaranteed return.

[hamlets_shrink]

Yes it sounds like some kind of stock market investment, they really

ought be be clear about this and advise the principal could go down as

well as up. Anyways, this aside, I've read a lot of references to

'Britline' but no one tends to refer to this other Barclays option

which is also geared up to the Brits.

[BJSLIV]

I think that it is important to have easy access to your branch,  its probably more important in France than in the UK.

Barclays have only a few branches, in fact here they all are.......Bayonne, Bergerac, Biarritz, Bordeaux, Calais, Dijon, Grenoble, Le Havre, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nantes, Rouen, Strasbourg, Toulouse et Tours.

A bit of a pain if you live in La France Profonde and want to drop into your branch.

Find a local bank branch, preferably not Cr Agr, see if the natives are friendly, and open one there.

[hamlets_shrink]

Thanks BJSLIV, yes of course that makes sense I forgot all the about the proximity issue !

[Jc]

I've said it before,been with Credit Lyonnaise for eighteen years and have never had the slightest concern,tho' English speaking staff do come and go.

[hamlets_shrink]

Thanks JC, I'll certainly bear that in mind.

[Albert the InfoGipsy]

We've recently opened an account with Societe General. Mainly chose it because Mrs IG's family have banked with them since the 19th century.

Walked in off the street without an appointment (not ion the family's home town) and walked out with a joint account. 4 days later got our details for internet banking through and the cartes bleus turned up a week after that.