Banking in France
It is said that banking is made as discrete as possible in France.
It is true so.
When I first opened my current account after I arrived, the limit of money withdrawal was given at 500 Euros/week. My Maybank limit was RM 5000/day and Muamalat was RM 3000/day !!! What a vast difference and I was initially uncomfortable with the limit set. But soon I realised that:
1. cost of living in France is much lower than Malaysia when we compare ringgit to Euro as 1 to 1 without converting it.
2. most of the transactions are being made by Carte Bleue i.e. a debit card. Therefore cash is not very important except when one goes to the market and buy groceries. Even the butcher accepts debit card here in France!!!
However, we are planning for a trip across the English Channel and I had to change some Euros into pound Sterling. I went to AMEX exchange in Bordeaux and enquired their rates. As the Sterling is strong against Euro (1 pound is about 1.5 Euro) and due to the limit set on my French bank card, I could not purchase the amount I wanted (500 Euro= less than 300 pounds) and I had to withdraw the money over the counter from my bank to purchase in cash.
Off I went to my bank at Alleé de Tourny. The bank does not look like a bank at all. More of an airline office without the aircraft models of course...
Went to the counter.
'Bonjour'
'Je voudrais emmm..... withdraw mon argent s.v.p'
'Combien monsieur?'
'XX mille Euros...( XX thousand euros..) svp'
Terbeliak mata the lady cashier....
Actually,
For any amount more than 800 Euros, I have to go to a special bullet proof room in a vault that is located underground in the bank. One English speaking male cashier accompanied me there and he stayed with me as his friend in the vault speaks only french.
(Without me asking him or anyone to help. They were that helpful....)
The procedure was simple.
I pass him my card and tell him the amount.
He will pass me the money and a receipt for me to sign.
No forms to fill.
C'est facille.
It is funny....in Malaysia, RM 1000 is treated like a small amount but in France, even 800 Euros is considered a huge amount.
It is true so.
When I first opened my current account after I arrived, the limit of money withdrawal was given at 500 Euros/week. My Maybank limit was RM 5000/day and Muamalat was RM 3000/day !!! What a vast difference and I was initially uncomfortable with the limit set. But soon I realised that:
1. cost of living in France is much lower than Malaysia when we compare ringgit to Euro as 1 to 1 without converting it.
2. most of the transactions are being made by Carte Bleue i.e. a debit card. Therefore cash is not very important except when one goes to the market and buy groceries. Even the butcher accepts debit card here in France!!!
However, we are planning for a trip across the English Channel and I had to change some Euros into pound Sterling. I went to AMEX exchange in Bordeaux and enquired their rates. As the Sterling is strong against Euro (1 pound is about 1.5 Euro) and due to the limit set on my French bank card, I could not purchase the amount I wanted (500 Euro= less than 300 pounds) and I had to withdraw the money over the counter from my bank to purchase in cash.
Off I went to my bank at Alleé de Tourny. The bank does not look like a bank at all. More of an airline office without the aircraft models of course...
Went to the counter.
'Bonjour'
'Je voudrais emmm..... withdraw mon argent s.v.p'
'Combien monsieur?'
'XX mille Euros...( XX thousand euros..) svp'
Terbeliak mata the lady cashier....
Actually,
For any amount more than 800 Euros, I have to go to a special bullet proof room in a vault that is located underground in the bank. One English speaking male cashier accompanied me there and he stayed with me as his friend in the vault speaks only french.
(Without me asking him or anyone to help. They were that helpful....)
The procedure was simple.
I pass him my card and tell him the amount.
He will pass me the money and a receipt for me to sign.
No forms to fill.
C'est facille.
It is funny....in Malaysia, RM 1000 is treated like a small amount but in France, even 800 Euros is considered a huge amount.
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