填空题 If you are buying a property in France, whether for a permanent or a holiday home, it is important to open a French bank account. Although it is possible to exist on traveller's cheques, Eurocheques and credit cards {{U}} {{U}} 1 {{/U}} {{/U}}by British banks, the {{U}} {{U}} 2 {{/U}} {{/U}}for these {{U}} {{U}} 3 {{/U}} {{/U}}can be expensive.
The simplest way to pay regular {{U}} {{U}} 4 {{/U}} {{/U}}, such as electricity, gas or telephone, {{U}} {{U}} 5 {{/U}} {{/U}}when you are not in residence, is by direct debit(a sum withdrawn from an account)from your French account. To {{U}} {{U}} 6 {{/U}} {{/U}}a current account, you will need to {{U}} {{U}} 7 {{/U}} {{/U}}your passport and birth {{U}} {{U}} 8 {{/U}} {{/U}}and to provide your address in the United Kingdom. You will be issued with a cheque book within weeks of opening the account. In France it is illegal to be overdrawn. All accounts must be operated {{U}} {{U}} 9 {{/U}} {{/U}}credit. However, there are no {{U}} {{U}} 10 {{/U}} {{/U}}charges.
Note that cheques {{U}} {{U}} 11 {{/U}} {{/U}}longer to clear in France than in Britain, and call only be stopped {{U}} {{U}} 12 {{/U}} {{/U}}stolen or lost.
The easiest way to {{U}} {{U}} 13 {{/U}} {{/U}}money from a British bank account to a French {{U}} {{U}} 14 {{/U}} {{/U}}is by bank transfer. You simply provide your British bank with the name, address and {{U}} {{U}} 15 {{/U}} {{/U}}of your French bank account. The procedure takes about a week and {{U}} {{U}} 16 {{/U}} {{/U}}between￡5 and￡413 for each transaction, {{U}} {{U}} 17 {{/U}} {{/U}}on your British bank。
{{U}} {{U}} 18 {{/U}} {{/U}}. you can transfer money {{U}} {{U}} 19 {{/U}} {{/U}}a French bank in London. You can also send a sterling cheque(allow at least l2(1ays for the cheque to be cleared), Eurocheques or traveller's {{U}} {{U}} 20 {{/U}} {{/U}}.
Finally. it is a good idea to make a friend of your French bank manager. His help call prove invaluable.