Sophia Antipolis - Bank system overview

We propose you different informations on the bank system overview.

ATM - Automated Teller Machine

• ATM - Automated Teller Machine (guichet automatique de billet - GAB)
  You find them in banks (not all agencies), at the post-office and in the shopping centres. According to the type of credit card you have, you have got a weekly or monthly amount that you can get through the ATM.

Bank accounts

• There are different types of bank accounts : current account, savings account, insurance life…Banks will propose you all their products.
  You have to know that you can bargain bank fees. Talk about it with your personnel banker !

Closing a bank account

• It's very easy to close a bank account. Go to the bank and ask to close your current account. If you have saving accounts, ask them to transfer your money to an other account. If you want to reduce the fees make a check of the amount you want to transfer to your future bank before closing your current account.

Currency

• Since the 1st January 2002 the new currency is the Euro, which has been adopted within the E.U. by all its member with the exclusion of the UK. To preserve the national identity one side of notes and coins has a design specific to each country, which has prompted collectors to start searching for coins from different countries.
  Coins : 1 -  2 -  5 - 10 - 20 -  50 Centimes/ 1 - 2  Euros
  bank notes : 10 - 20 - 50 - 100 - 200 - 500 Euros
  

Exchanging money

• You can change currency in exchange offices or in banks. It's better to call the bank before exchanging large sum of money in another currency to be sure that they have enough notes.
• Exchange office
  Delta Change
  17, bd Albert 1er
  06600
  Antibes
  Tel: + 33 (0)4 9334 1276
  email: [email protected]

Identity theft

• Police phone : 17
• If you see that your accounts have been defrauded, you have to call immediately your bank in order to cancel your credit card. With your credit card contract, you should have an insurance that cover these fraudulent money withdrawals. The insurance will tell you to go to the police station (gendarmerie) in order to deposit complaint. Then send this complaint to your insurance company that will pay you back in a short delay.
• You have to know that it's quite common to see this kind of identity theft here on the French Riviera. So be careful when you pay by credit card in a restaurant or when you dial your personnel pin codes at the ATM.

Opening a bank account

• To open a bank account, you will have the choice through the different French or international banks. Documents that you will need are :
  - your identity card or passport
  - a proof of your address in France (electricity bill, phone bill…)
  - last three bank statements
  - three payrolls or your work contract
• They will automatically open you an account with a check book. If you want to have a credit card you will have to pay it. Check books are really used here in France for paying bills as EDF, France Telecom etc.
  Most of the time they propose you to open a saving account like Codevi, Plan or Compte Epargne Logement etc. It will depend on what you want to buy in the future.
  Banks can also propose you :
  - Different loans : car loan, house loan…If you need to contract a credit for buying furniture or this type of purchase, it's better to contact for example "Cetelem" which is a credit company.
  - Insurance for your house and car
  - Legal Insurance
• Normal banking hours are : Tuesday to Saturday (only morning) from 9.00 am to 12.00 am and 14.30 pm to 17.00 pm.