The Bank of France has served as France’s central bank since its creation in 1800.
Napoleon Bonaparte established the bank on 18 January 1800 to help stabilize France’s finances after the upheaval of the French Revolution. It initially operated as a private institution with public responsibilities and received the exclusive right to issue banknotes in Paris in 1803.
The bank was nationalized in 1945 and became part of the Eurosystem after France adopted the euro. Today, it implements monetary policy decided by the European Central Bank, manages parts of France’s currency reserves, supervises financial institutions, and provides economic analysis.
The Bank of France is different from the European Central Bank: the ECB sets euro-area monetary policy, while the Bank of France is France’s national central bank and carries out Eurosystem operations in the country.