SWIFT/BIC codes in France: banks starting with L

SWIFT/BIC codes in France

Here you will find codes for 2801 banks in France – 4924 codes altogether. You will need such a code mostly when making payments across borders and for payments in a foreign currency.

Search for the recipient’s bank below and click through for all codes we have. The sections below covers how the codes work, what transfers cost and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Filter: banks in France with :letter

You are looking at a filtered list: just institutions in France with a name starting with :letter. The figures for France on this page apply to every bank we list and not only this letter.

Some banks are listed under their official name rather than the name on their app or website. Use the full list for France when you do not know how the name is spelled.

How reliable is this list?

Ask the recipient to copy the account details straight from a recent statement. A wrong code may lead to a delay, a payment being sent back or extra fees.

Our SWIFT/BIC directory is based on public sources. Institutions reorganise, close branches and retire codes, and no directory catches every change immediately. Use our data as a reference rather than the last word: the bank details from the recipient come first. We are an independent comparison site, not a bank.

Be wary of payment requests containing a new account, especially when they come by email. Always confirm a change of bank details through a separate channel.

Incoming international payments in France

For a transfer from abroad into a France account, the sender needs not just the SWIFT code. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Find your bank in the list above to check its code. Certain sending banks also ask for the name and address of your bank.

Do not be surprised if the amount credited is below what the sender paid. Fees for incoming transfers vary per bank – your bank’s price list tells you what applies. On invoices, state how the fees are split.

Which bank in France has the most codes?

Credit Agricole leads our list for France when it comes to SWIFT/BIC codes. Its main office uses AGRIFRPP802.

Many codes often means separate codes for branches, departments or services. Paying someone at Credit Agricole? Use AGRIFRPP802 unless a specific branch code is requested.

France and the Euro

The currency of France is the Euro (EUR). When you pay another currency, it has to be converted at some point – by your bank, a bank in between or the recipient’s bank.

Which bank converts the payment matters: every bank has its own margin. Check how much EUR the recipient gets via several providers before choosing one. With bigger transfers, even a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

The cheapest way to send money to France

An international bank payment to France can cost rather more than you think. On top of a fixed fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge and, if currencies are converted, the bank usually applies a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest cost item. A simple test: put the offered rate next to the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

Specialist money transfer services often offer rates closer to the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists these providers side by side so you can see what actually arrives in France.

How long does a transfer to France take?

There is no fixed answer for payments to France: many arrive within a day, others take several business days. Public holidays in either country can add a day or more.

When a payment takes longer than expected, ask the sender to contact their own bank and ask for the status or the UETR – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save your transfer receipt until the money has arrived.

Euro payments to France: is a BIC needed?

France is a member of the SEPA area, the zone for uniform euro payments. For a regular euro transfer from another SEPA country, you normally only need the IBAN and the BIC is often filled in automatically.

You will still need the BIC when sending non-euro payments or transfers from countries outside SEPA. Instant payments in euros have become increasingly supported within SEPA. Costs stay low provided everything stays in euros; the conversion is where it gets expensive.

What the letters in a France BIC mean

SWIFT/BIC codes follow the same format worldwide: eight characters. It starts with four letters for the bank, then two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a code from France by the fifth and sixth characters – those always form the country code of France. A code with other letters in that position come from another country.

The last three characters, if present, stand for a branch or department; XXX is used for the head office. Use a branch code only if the recipient’s bank asks for it – otherwise stick with the head office.