SWIFT/BIC codes in France: banks starting with Q

Finding a SWIFT code in France

Our directory lists 2801 banks and other institutions in France and 4924 SWIFT/BIC codes between them. You will need a SWIFT/BIC code mainly when making international transfers.

Search for the recipient’s bank in the list and open its page for the full list of codes. Below the list we explain how a code from France is put together, how to send money to France at a fair price and how to check a code before you pay.

Euro payments to France: is a BIC needed?

Since France is in the SEPA zone, a euro transfer to a bank in France usually only needs an IBAN. Many banks do not require the BIC for these payments.

The BIC still matter for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. SEPA transfers usually arrive by the next business day. Fees are generally low as long as no currency is converted – conversion is what costs money.

How long does a transfer to France take?

There is no fixed delivery time for transfers to France: many land the same day or the next. Transfers sent after the cut-off time or on weekends and holidays usually go out a business day later.

Many banks are connected to SWIFT gpi, which lets them follow a payment from bank to bank. Each payment carries a unique transaction reference, the UETR. Money transfer services often show tracking in their app, which makes it easier to see where the money is.

Sending EUR to France

Most accounts in France are usually held in EUR – the Euro. When you pay another currency, it gets converted somewhere along the way.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on how much arrives, as rates and margins differ per bank. In many cases it is cheaper to send EUR straight away via a transfer service with a good rate rather than letting the receiving bank convert. On larger amounts, even a small gap in the rate adds up quickly.

The largest SWIFT network in France: Credit Agricole

Of all banks we list for France, Credit Agricole is listed with the largest number of codes. The head office uses AGRIFRPP802 – the code most transfers need.

The number of codes tells you something about how it registers branches and services than about its size. If not a branch code is given, the head office code AGRIFRPP802 works for a payment to Credit Agricole.

Getting paid from abroad into an account in France

A sender in another country needs several details about your account. That means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your IBAN or account number, the SWIFT/BIC code of your bank and, often, your postal address.

Look up the bank in the list above to check its code. It helps to add the name and city of your bank because some forms have separate fields for it.

What lands in your account is often lower than the amount sent. Correspondent banks can take a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin applies. Make clear with the sender who covers the fees.

How SWIFT codes from France are built

Bank identifier codes follow one international format: 8 characters. Characters one to four identify the bank, the fifth and sixth characters form the country code and characters seven and eight give the location.

In every code from France, letters five and six show the two-letter ISO code of France, which makes these codes easy to recognise. If the country letters point to another country, you are looking at a bank in another country – worth double-checking.

If the last three are XXX, it means the main office. Use a branch code just if the recipient explicitly gives you one; otherwise the head office code is the safe choice.

What a transfer to France really costs

An international bank payment to France can cost rather more than the fee suggests. There is a transfer fee, sometimes charges from intermediary banks along the way and, most importantly, the margin on the exchange rate if the money is converted.

Most of the cost usually sits in the exchange rate, not in the fee – the bank builds a margin into its rate. A simple test: put the rate you get next to the mid-market rate and look at the difference.

Money transfer services frequently use a rate near the mid-market rate. GoldexPay lists transfer services next to each other, showing what actually arrives in France.

Verifying a SWIFT code from France

The safest source for a SWIFT code is the recipient’s own bank details. If the code you have does not match our list, stop and ask – contact the recipient or their bank.

This list is based on publicly available sources and is updated regularly. Institutions merge, close branches and retire codes. Use this list as a starting point, not as the final word. GoldexPay is an independent comparison site and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Be wary of invoices containing changed bank details. Before paying, verify changed details by phone, using a number you already had.

Filter: banks in France with :letter

The letter filter narrows the list to banks from France that begin with :letter. The counts in the introduction still cover all banks in France, not just this letter.

Bank not listed? The registered name may begin with another word – think of the full legal name instead of the brand. The full overview for France is available when the letter filter does not help.