Another topic that uni don’t seem to want to go into in any detail whatsoever, so here’s what I found. Banks don’t like people. Let me elaborate, unless you have a bill to the address you are staying at in France you will probably be turned down. 
Generally to open a bank account, take as many documents as you possibly can. I took:
-           the contract for my house
-          my house insurance (which had the address on)
-          my job contract
-          bank statements from the UK (to prove I have some money)
-          passport 
Although Crédit Agricole wouldn’t accept all that as proof of residence and insisted on a gas or electricity bill (facture de gaz ou d’electricité). 
The Post Office is the place to go. Yep, they have a terrible reputation and might not see you on the day, but they accept more or less anyone – me included. And the guy who served me was pretty helpful :-)
It took about 8 days for me to receive banking details, online log-ons, my cheque book (which has funky different coloured cheques) and a little longer to receive my card. 

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