"Nowhere to go": Independent ATMs to compensate for the absence of banks

To cope with the closure of bank branches in the town of Argenteuil (Val-d'Oise), the municipality has installed two independent ATMs. This comes at a time when ATMs are gradually disappearing across France: they have declined by 3.5% between 2023 and 2024, according to the Banque de France.

Independent ATMs , which do not belong to any bank, have been growing in France in recent months. The city of Argenteuil, in the Île-de-France region, has installed two of them to cope with the gradual closure of bank branches .

"We had Société Générale and La Poste. But when the ATM outside is out of service, we have nowhere to go," explains Lily, who saw the number of bank-owned ATMs dwindle very quickly. She was sometimes even forced to travel to Sartrouville, a neighboring town 8 kilometers away.

The number of ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) stood at around 44,123 at the end of 2023, compared to 42,578 at the end of 2024, a decrease of 3.5% in one year, according to the annual report published in July by the Banque de France, relayed by Le Parisien . Since 2018, 11,000 ATMs have disappeared.

The town hall of this city of more than 100,000 inhabitants, located north of Paris, responded to a request from its citizens. Maryam regularly uses this new ATM. She just withdrew 20 euros. "It's changed our lives. We no longer have to go far to get money," she says happily.

Since the ATM arrived last March, Rachid, manager of a fruit and vegetable stand at a market in Argenteuil, has seen the difference: "If customers want to buy for 1 euro, or 1.50 euros, and when the card only goes for 5 euros minimum, they don't buy." From now on, they will have easier access to notes and coins to buy in small quantities.

This service cost the municipality €47,000 for the two ATMs. The first was installed in 2022, the second in March 2025. And the latter is widely used. "Three months after the ATM was installed, we had more than 11,000 withdrawals. We're very happy with this response," says Mélanie Souleyreau, sales manager for the city of Argenteuil. It's one of the most efficient ATMs in France.

If other residents report a need, the city says it is ready to study the request again and repeat the operation.