Banking in Paris for Foreigners

I went to a local BNP Paribas (French Bank) branch a bit over a month ago and in my broken French and their non-existant English discovered that for foreigners to open a bank account they have to go the BNP at metro Opera. So I hopped on the metro that afternoon and headed out there. I had the same language problem with the receptionist (you would think in a branch which is specifically tailored towards foreigners opening accounts that at the very least the receptionist would speak English), but she managed to work out what I was saying because I had especially leant the word for bank account (compte en banque). I sat and waited to see a guy who could help me and was then instructed to follow him to his little office. He couldn't speak much English, so again I spoke in my broken French. He told me that I needed to bring with me my passport, carte de sejour, proof of address, and some money for a deposit. So we made a date to return, he said the earliest he had was in two weeks from today, so I said okay and jotted it down in my diary and mobile phone calendar.

Two weeks passed and I returned and went through a similar process of talking to the receptionist and waiting. I waited for an hour after my appointment was supposed to be scheduled but the guy didn't come back from lunch so I left. The stupid thing was that during this time the friend I was with rocked up off the street with no appointment, saw a guy and if my friend had had the correct paperwork would have been able to set up a bank account. But my guy didn't show. So I left it for another day.

I finally got around to it all again yesterday and returned to the same BNP in Opera and spoke to the same receptionist, except with a little bit better French (her English hadn't improved) and waited again. This time I went to a different office in a different section and spoke with a guy who could speak English relatively well. He instructed me that it was possible to set up an account but there were various requirements such as a minimum deposit. I thought that's fine and asked what is this minimul deposit? He replied that it is 8,000 euros. I sat back in my seat and laughed and told him I was in Paris for about 6 months and was only working as a holiday job. There was no way that I would see 8,000 euros in the next 5 years let alone in the next few months. What kind of guy did he think I was, rocking in with my t-shirt and shorts on and my old leather bag - A 22 year old Australian in Paris with a casual 8,000 euros as a minimum account balance in my new french bank account. So I told him I was living in Paris and had a residence and he told me I was in the wrong section and I went back to the secretary and sat back down.

After another little while another guy with basic English came to help me and we walked towards his office, but for some reason before we made it there we stopped walking and had the rest of the discussion in the hall. I told him my situation again and he told me I had everything I need for an account but I need proof of my residence in the form of a gas and electricity bill or telephone bill. I had my gas bill from my previous apartment in the Marais but it was almost 4 months old and they wanted one that was less than 3 months old. I told him that I didn't pay the gas and had no telephone so how would I prove my address. He had no idea and suggested that I think about it then go to a BNP near my apartment. I told him that I was a foreigner and asked him if it was true that I had to go to this bank to open an account. He told me this branch deals with non-resident foreiners but if you have an apartment you can go to any branch in France.

So there it was, any branch, I just need to find some way of proving my residence. It is tricky because the only way they accept is name and address on gas bill or telephone bill. Surely there are a heap of people in France who don't have a phone and have someone else paying their gas bill? I dunno. Anyway I'm going to visit my local branch today and try my luck with English speakers and the whole process again.