SWIFT/BIC codes in France: banks starting with O

Bank SWIFT codes for France

Our directory contains 2801 banks and other institutions in France. A SWIFT code shows the banks handling a transfer which institution is meant to get the money.

Look for the recipient’s bank in the list and click through to see all codes we have. Below the list you can read how a code from France is put together, how to send money there at a fair price and what to check before you pay.

How reliable is this list?

The safest source for the BIC is the bank details provided by the recipient: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. When the code you were given does not match the code listed here, do not guess.

The directory on GoldexPay is compiled from publicly available sources that we update periodically. Even so, banks merge, rename themselves or change codes and our data may lag behind. Before any payment that matters, confirm the BIC with the recipient’s bank. GoldexPay is not a bank and has no link to the banks in this list.

Scammers often send payment requests with new bank details. A valid BIC tells you nothing about who owns the account.

Receiving money in France from abroad

A sender in another country will ask for several details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. Give them your name as registered with the bank, your account number or IBAN, your bank’s SWIFT code and your address.

Your bank’s code is in our list, yet the version on your own statement or in your banking app is leading. It helps to include your bank’s name and city as well because some forms have separate fields for it.

The amount you receive can be lower than what was sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, and if the money is converted, a markup on the rate applies. For business payments, state how the fees are split, so nobody is left short.

Banks in France beginning with the letter :letter

This page shows only the banks in France whose name starts with :letter, sorted alphabetically. The figures for France mentioned here cover all 2801 banks, not just the ones under :letter.

Bank not listed? The registered name might start with a different letter – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. Try the full list for France if you do not know the exact name.

What the letters in a France BIC mean

Each SWIFT/BIC code consists of eight or eleven characters, always in the same order. First comes a four-letter bank code, followed by two letters for the country and a two-character location code.

You can recognise a code from France from the fifth and sixth characters: they always show the ISO country code of France. Codes with a different country code come from a bank abroad.

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

The Euro (EUR) and conversion costs

France uses the Euro, with the currency code EUR. If you send another currency, it gets converted at some point.

Who converts the money makes a difference, because each party uses its own rate. Compare what EUR the recipient gets with different services before choosing one. Rates for EUR move all the time – some providers let you lock in a rate.

Bank or transfer service for France?

An international bank payment to France can cost more than the fee suggests. Besides the fee, correspondent banks can deduct a charge, and when the money is converted the bank usually uses a rate below the actual market rate.

The markup on the rate is often the largest part of the cost. An easy check: set the rate you get against the mid-market rate and work out the difference on your amount.

For many routes, a transfer service turns out to be cheaper than a bank – mostly thanks to the exchange rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other so you can see what actually arrives in France for the same amount sent.

Paying in euros to France

Because France is part of SEPA, a euro transfer to an account in France normally only needs the IBAN. Many banks no longer ask for the BIC in that case.

You will still need the BIC when sending payments in other currencies or money from outside the SEPA area. Instant euro transfers have become widely available within SEPA, though not every bank offers them for every account. As long as no conversion is involved, a SEPA transfer tends to be inexpensive.

Which bank in France has the most codes?

Among the 2801 institutions we list, Credit Agricole has the largest number of SWIFT/BIC codes in France. Its main office uses AGRIFRPP802.

The number of codes says something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. Paying someone at Credit Agricole? Go with AGRIFRPP802 except when the recipient gives you a branch code.

How long does a transfer to France take?

There is no single delivery time for payments to France: many arrive the same day or the next, others take several business days. Payments made after the cut-off time or just before a weekend or public holiday usually start a business day later.

Many banks use SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Every payment gets a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Keep your transfer receipt; a bank needs it to start a trace.