17 November 2017

Autumn leaves — les feuilles mortes

Probably not what you were expecting.


As I wrote in a comment yesterday, I got the new power supply for my laptop and I'm back in business. Now all I need is some inspiration! You might wonder why I can't use my desktop computer for composing blog posts. It's a long story that I will spare you... take my word for it.


By the way, I'm supposed to go get my new debit card from the bank in Saint-Aignan (photo above) this morning. I went there on Wednesday only to discover that my card had been wrongly sent to a different Crédit Agricole agency. I was given the option of driving to that branch office or waiting until today.

I'm not optimistic that the Saint-Aignan agency will actually have the card for me this morning. I've now been without a debit/ATM card since about October 25, which is pretty inconvenient. Besides, I pay an annual fee for the privilege of having an ATM card. The bank has so far been unable to explain why my card was de-activated in the first place. Their error, I say. I'm seriously wondering if it's time to change banks.

12 comments:

  1. Good news. On my fourth try, meaning four trips to the bank, I got my new ATM card. And I used it before coming back home, to make sure it works. It does. Now let's see how long it goes before I get déactivé again. I hate having to be so pessimistic.

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  2. Glad your new card is in working order. Still, I'll keep my fingers crossed for a while.

    Les banques, en France, c'est du grand banditisme! They're all the same: thieves.

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    1. I remember a time when French banks charged no fees for account services, even on low-balance accounts. American banks were expensive back then. Now bank fees are high in both countries. The Crédit Agricole actually charges more to receive a wire transfer of funds from the credit union in Washington than the credit union charges to send the wire transfer.

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    2. Use a service such as ofx.com for your bank transfers. Much cheaper.

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  3. Wow, that has been some odd behavior from that bank! Glad you've got the card now, and it works.

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  4. Well that was a relief !! I hope your pessimism is wasted and everything goes well from now on ... :)

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  5. Judy, look at this info about French banks.

    Nombre de clients banques :

    C’est un indicateur pour vous aider à comparer les parts de marchés des banques en France, cependant il est difficile d’interpréter ces chiffres car il faudrait dissocier les clients particuliers, professionnels et entreprises. Aussi la clientèle est multibancarisée.

    Groupe Crédit Agricole 52 millions de clients
    BNP Paribas P 32 millions de clients
    Groupe BPCE 31,2 millions de clients
    Société Générale 31 millions de clients

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  6. Glad you were able to finally get your card. That's a long time to go without it, as most people don't carry around lots of cash anymore.

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    1. The receptionist(s)/customer service rep(s) at our local Crédit Agricole branches no longer "handle" cash. If you need cash, as I have several times over the past three weeks, you have to stand in line, wait while your account is called up on the computer, and then are handed a one-time card that works in the ATMs to give you the amount you specify. Then you have to wait in line for an ATM. It works, but it's a lot of wasted time. I'm glad to have a working ATM/debit card again... for now.

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  7. No cash at the bank branch reception desk it's a hole-in-the-wall that let's you have your money. Lately the door to the lobby that has the ATM has not worked! This results in further kms to the next bank.

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  8. Stick with CA. They haven't given you any flack about being American. Other banks will. It's strange; it seems to depend on the branch. But you live too far from any main office in Paris to have to come up to Paris to open an account. Dual nationality is no protection from the discrimination against Americans. We've (the AARO banking committee) heard terrible stories about BNP, Crédit du Nord, Société Générale, and others.

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What's on your mind? Qu'avez-vous à me dire ?