More bank branches in France are closing
Some 3% of branches are shutting every year, reports banking union
The digitisation of banking transactions is among reasons for branch closures
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An increasing number of bank branches in France are closing, particularly in rural areas.
Several Crédit Agricole workers took strike action yesterday (January 22) to express their concern regarding this issue, alongside frustration surrounding pay rise levels and general job insecurity.
In the Indre department, for example, four Crédit Agricole banks are closing this month - in Marins, Villedieu-sur-Indre, Reuilly and Ecueillé, where the local branch will shut permanently today (January 23).
A steady decline in in-person branch visits, the digitisation of banking transactions and an increasingly competitive banking sector are among the reasons for ongoing closures.
“On a national level, several hundred branches have closed. That is 3% of branches closing every year. This is the case for our colleagues at Société Générale and Crédit Mutuel, but it is also the case at Crédit Agricole,” Samuel Mathieu, president of the Syndicat national de l'entreprise Crédit Agricole (Sneca), told RTL.
“Everything is now digitised, and banks are encouraging customers to visit their branches less and less,” he added.
As of 2025, there are fewer than 36,000 physical branches in France, or around 52 per 100,000 inhabitants. In 2010, it was 64 per 100,000.
The Grand Est and Pays de la Loire are amongst the hardest hit regions, with closure rates only set to heighten across France in the coming years according to consumer watchdog UFC Que-Choisir.
The growing number of branch closures is leading to fears that vulnerable people in remote areas will face further difficulty in accessing basic banking services - a problem that has been previously highlighted by rural mayors.
Société Générale: 1,800 jobs cut in France
Société Générale published a press release yesterday confirming plans for over a thousand jobs to be cut in France by the end of 2027.
“By leveraging natural attrition and an innovative social framework that invests in internal mobility and the development of employees’ skills, the Group [Société Générale] would reduce the net number of positions by 1,800,” reads the announcement.
“This change would occur within the framework of the measures set out in the Employment Agreement signed on December 15, 2025 with three trade unions, without any redundancy plan, favouring internal career moves within the Bank’s many professions.”
The company suggests cuts will mainly concern roles within head offices and IT rather than in-branch employees.
In response to the announcement, the workers union CFDT, released a statement saying this reorganisation will have a considerable impact on working conditions and career development, stemming from a shift towards artificial intelligence and automation within the sector.
