SWIFT/BIC codes in France: banks starting with R

Bank SWIFT codes for France

On this page you find codes for 2801 institutions in France. Every code identifies an institution or a specific branch or department and tells other banks where an international payment should go.

Pick the bank from the list to see its head office code and its other codes along with tips for payments to and from that bank. The rest of this page covers the structure of the codes, the cost of transfers and the checks worth doing before you send money.

Incoming international payments in France

A sender in another country needs a few details from you – incomplete details often cause delays. In practice that means: your full name exactly as it appears on the account, your account number or IBAN, the BIC of your bank and sometimes your address.

Look up the bank in the list above – your bank statement is the final word. Certain banks also want your bank’s address; it does no harm to include it.

What lands in your account can be lower than what was sent. Intermediary banks may deduct a fee, your bank may charge for incoming payments, and when currencies differ, an exchange rate margin comes on top. Agree with the sender who covers the fees.

Tracking a payment to France

How quickly money arrives in France depends on several factors: the currency, the number of banks in between, daily processing deadlines and time zones. Payments made late in the day or on a weekend or public holiday often go out a business day later.

If a transfer seems late, the sender should contact the sending bank – the receiving bank often cannot see a payment that has not arrived. Save the payment confirmation until the money has arrived; a bank needs it to start a trace.

Recognising a SWIFT code from France

Each SWIFT/BIC code has 8 or 11 characters. The first four letters identify the bank, characters five and six form the country code and characters seven and eight mark the location.

You can recognise a bank code from France from the fifth and sixth characters. When the country letters do not match France, the code belongs to a bank somewhere else.

The optional last three characters 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.

SEPA transfers to France

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

The BIC still matter for payments in other currencies and when the money comes from outside SEPA. Euro payments within SEPA normally land by the next business day, and instant transfers in seconds where both banks support them. Costs stay low provided no currency is converted.

Paying in EUR: what conversion costs you

France uses the Euro. Money sent in a different currency is converted into EUR on its way to the recipient – and the bank that does it picks the rate.

Where the conversion happens has an effect on the final amount. Often it is cheaper if you send EUR straight away through a provider with a good rate. With bigger transfers, even a small difference in the rate can be worth more than the fee.

Sending money to France for less

If you send money to France with a regular bank, the fee you see is only part of the cost. You pay a transfer fee, possibly charges from intermediary banks along the way and, above all, the margin on the exchange rate.

That exchange rate margin tends to be the biggest cost item. Compare the bank’s rate with the mid-market rate that you find on financial sites.

Specialised transfer providers often use rates closer to the mid-market rate and lower fees. GoldexPay compares what recipients in France receive with different services.

Banks in France starting with :letter

This filter limits the list to banks from France that begin with :letter, so you can find a bank faster. The totals mentioned above still refer to all banks in France, not just this letter.

If the bank you need is missing under :letter, try another letter – the registered name can differ from the name people use. Use the full list for France when you are not sure the exact name.

The largest SWIFT network in France: Credit Agricole

Among the 2801 institutions we list, Credit Agricole has the most SWIFT/BIC codes in France. The head office of Credit Agricole uses AGRIFRPP802 and that code covers most payments.

How many codes a bank has says something about how it organises its payments than about how big it is. If not the recipient asks for a branch, AGRIFRPP802 is fine for transfers to this bank.

How reliable is this list?

The safest source for the BIC is the recipient’s own bank details: an invoice, a statement or their online banking. A wrong code may lead to a delay, a returned payment or extra fees, so compare it with the list on this page.

We collect SWIFT/BIC codes from public sources and update our list regularly. Institutions reorganise, change names and retire codes. Use our data as a starting point: the bank details from the recipient come first. GoldexPay is not a bank and is not affiliated with the banks listed.

Be wary of invoices containing changed bank details, especially when they come by email. Always verify a change of bank details through a separate channel on a number you know.