Hey,

I've not been around for a few weeks now because I've managed to relocate myself to Paris. However, being in France, nothing ever works so I've not even had an internet connection (currently sitting in McDonalds...)

I'm just wondering if anyone can explain to me how a Carte Bleu works. There aren't any Anglais around to ask and the french bankers speak so rapidly that I can barely understand a word! Is it like a credit card or a debit card?

I've set up a bank account with BNP Paribas and they seem to have given me a chequeing account and a current account. It seems I spend the money on a cheque and then have to credit that account online. I'm just really confused! They haven't given me my cash card yet for some unbeknownst reason so I'm currently struggling with little money in a Parisian flat!

Hehe...it's not all bad.

Anyway, I hope to get my internet connection sorted by the end of the day so I'll be back to reading some lovely, sane and english musical discussions

Cheers if anyone can help

Daley

Hey, I remember you talking about your options a while ago and I wondered where you'd ended up I'm really glad you've gone to Paris, how's it going???

Sorry, haven't got a clue about Carte Bleu though!

I'm not sure, but isn't it a credit card? My french teacher said that they use "carte bleu" for any credit card, like we call any brand of vacuum cleaner a hoover... or something. But I'm not really sure...

According to this site the carte bleu is a debit card, not a credit card.

Whoops. Shows what I know!

Sorry lucky045, I've just reread my post and it sounds very abrupt - I didn't mean it to.

Haha no it sounded ok, really, or at least I didn't take offense.

A carte bleue (or visa card or mastercard or whatever)can be either a credit card or a debit card. You have to pay an annual fee for your carte bleue and you have to pay more if you want it to be a credit card. You should also be able to use your carte bleue to get money out of an ATM.

A "compte courant" should mean you get a free cheque book and a carte bleue which you have paid for. A "compte épargne" is a savings account and you would actually have to go into your bank to get cash from that.

They should have given you a copy of the terms and conditions of your account which should explain things and you can sit down and read that at home with a dictionary. (I remember when I first opened a bank account they told me I had to write "lu et approuvé" and sign at the bottom of the terms so I started reading them. The banker asked me what I was doing and when I said reading, he said but no one ever actually reads it first, they just sign).

Anyway, if you have any further questions feel free to PM me.

Kerioboe is absolutely right. Follow her advice! Hope you are having a good time in Paris.

Hey Freda_bloggs, glad you made it to France and are having some fun in Paris. Kerioboe is right about the banking system here, I should just point out one difference, though - the Carte Bleue is never a credit card in the strict sense of the word - you have two options with your carte bleue :

1) débit immédiat - this means that the card terminal debits the money from your account at the time you make your purchase.

2) débit différé - this is what Kerioboe is referring to when she says it can behave like a credit card, but actually it is more like a charge card, such as an American express in that you can spend what you like on it during the month and then you get a bill at the end of the month and a date on which the entire sum will be debited from your account - you do not have the option to pay in installments like you do with a British credit card.

In either case you will be paying for your card, but you will have to pay more for the débit différé option.

True credit cards, in the British sense of the term, are only just starting to become popular in France through companies such as cofinoga who will give you a loan and a card to spend it through.

If you are stuck for money, go to your bank with a pièce d'identité (such as a passport) and a proof of address and you will be allowed to withdraw at the counter. You won't get your card for about two weeks and unless you've paid to have it delivered to you, you'll have to go and pick it up at the bank.

They say they will write to you when you card is ready. This is a big lie. Go in after a couple of weeks and claim you've had said letter and ask them to look in the drawer for your card, the chances are the woman will eventually give up and get it for you (or you'll go mad, jump over the counter to get it yourself and end up in prison, but at least things will be moving!)

Your PIN number will be delivered 'sous pli séparé' and there is every chance you will get this before you are told your card is there.

Likewise, if you need any further help you can PM me too.

Bienvenue parmi nous !

Allan

Also just to add, going overdrawn in France is a civil offence. You don't get any of this messing around with overdraft charges, letters etc it is all very official and very abrupt, you have to have cleared funds in the account before it goes in.

That's very true - make sure you have an agreed overdraft if you are likely to go overdrawn. If you go over with a card payment (which can only really happen if you are débit différé and you don't have enough) the bank will usually write to you and then your advisor will phone you to explain how much you need to pay in and when (at this point, you may be able to negotiate a delay) HOWEVER, never ever go overdrawn because of a cheque - if a cheque is presented and you do not have sufficient funds, there's none of this 'cheque referred to drawer' mullarky - your account will be closed, you will be declared bankrupt and you will have no right to a card or cheque book until several years after you have repaid the debt. In the meantime all your financial affairs will be handled by the Bank of France who will have first say on any money you have. Be warned - overdrawn by card payments or withdrawals will cause charges (much lower than UK) and a slap on the wrist (unless it is frequent) but overdrawn by cheque will be considered a form of fraud.

Good point, Digby!

Good to hear from you, FB - hope you are having a fantastic time in France and get your money stuff sorted OK soon

Phew! Thanks, everyone, for your replies, that's really helpful.

My internet is still not working! It really is one thing after another. I went in to ask for my card...turns out I'd gone overdrawn on my chequeing account - whoops! But they kinda said that it was their fault a little bit because they told me to put money in the wrong account, so we just transferred the money and everything was ok

However, I still haven't got my card because my advisor is on holiday. I'm going to go back tomorrow, they said he was back last monday - I know my card's there (I've seen it!) but apparently he's going to ring me. I have no idea why. Ooooh why can't everything be easy?!

And as for "lu et approuve" (I can't do accents on here) - I've written that about 100 times, I swear.

But of course, thanks for asking Skylark, everything's cool here! C'est la plus belle ville du monde. I've met some really whacky (for want of a better word!) french people already, alongside some eastern europeans, americans, brits etc. etc. it's brill And the Metro! Wow, en fait, the whole transport system (at least in Paris) puts us English to shame. I'm actually living in Courbevoie/La Defense, which, for those of you who don't know the area, is just on the outskirts of Paris. The safe side of the Peripherique! For a business district, it's gorgeous. It means everything's in a helpful commuting distance too.

Although there have been lots of headaches thus far with banks and landlords etc. it's all a learning experience and I'm kidding myself if I think it's going to be easy!

If only I could speak French...

Le metro/RER etc round Paris is (in my experience anyway!) great


Ooooh La Defense, wow, what a great place to be living - just about within flaner-ing (!) distance of the centre if I remember correctly. The buildings and sculptures up where La Grande Arche etc are are really interesting There used to be a big sort of globular office building which had blue lights randomly lighting up all over it... don't know if it's still there but I still remember that from when I was 14

I suspect the French will come very quickly now you're right in the middle of things. Fantastic. Have an amazing time!

It sounds as though you're having a whale of a time, FB! If your advisor hasn't met you yet, that will be why he wants to ring you - they usually like a meeting (remember that the whole 'computer says no' thing doesn't exist in France, it's all about a personal relationship with your banker).

Enjoy Paris !

Allan

Well, eventually, I'm sorted! I have the internet, I have my CB and I feel like I kinda know how it works now.

I have met my advisor, he doesn't speak English well so it can be strained at times. In fact I turned up at the bank the other day after he'd phoned me...he had phoned me (in French) to tell me that I didn't need to come in! Typical.

Unfortunately, my French doesn't seem to be getting much better, simply because I'm not using it enough. Does anyone know how you can meet French people in Paris?! Me and a friend are going to be joining a choir (if they'll have us) so maybe that'll improve things.

SarahFlute, there is Les Quatre Temps shopping centre which does that in the evening, I think you may be thinking of that. It does look good

Speaking of Grande Arche, there was a spectacular fireworks display there a few nights ago to usher in the beginning of the rugby. It was set to music and La Grande Arche was lit up with lasers, lights and fireworks. It was great!

Thanks again for your replies, everyone, I know where to come if I'm stuck again