France Fuel Prices Live 2026: E10, Diesel, LPG per Station

Current fuel prices in France

France has daily updated live price data via the official government site prix-carburants.gouv.fr. Stations have been legally required to report their prices to this system since 2006, making France one of the most transparent fuel markets in Europe.

Past 30 days (October), national France averages:

Where to find the cheapest prices

Three rules of thumb make the difference of £50-100 on a typical full tank during a French road trip:

Rule 1: Supermarket stations are 10-15 cents cheaper

French supermarkets sell fuel almost at cost price as a footfall driver. Ranking from cheapest to most expensive:

Practical tip: just before or after a motorway exit there is almost always a supermarket with fuel station. The 5 km detour is worth it on a full tank.

Rule 2: Avoid motorway stations

Motorway stations (“aires de service”) are the most expensive choice in France, often 15-20 cents per litre above the national average. For a 60-litre tank, that’s a surcharge of £8-10.

Strategy: fill up just before joining the motorway, or take an exit with supermarket signs and use city stations.

Rule 3: Use prix-carburants.gouv.fr or apps

The official site shows an interactive map of all 11,000+ stations with live prices. Filter by fuel type and radius, sort by price. Also available as an app for iOS and Android (search: “prix carburants”).

Alternative apps with better UX:

• RAC Route Planner (UK app, includes France fuel data)
• Essence&Co (iOS, Android): French top app with crowd updates
• Mareyeur (iOS, Android): shows route-optimal stations
• Waze (Google): integrated cheapest station for your route

UK vs France fuel price comparison

For British drivers, fuelling in France is often cheaper than at home. Current comparison (indicative):

For a 60-litre fill-up: France saves you about £7-£8 on diesel. Worth noting for ferry-arriving drivers.

Strategy for UK drivers

• Diesel drivers: fill up in France immediately after arriving (cheaper than UK)
• Petrol drivers: marginal advantage in France, no urgency
• Calais arrival: stop at Leclerc Coquelles (5 km from tunnel/ferry terminal) for cheapest fuel
• Train or Channel Tunnel: fuel before boarding if from UK side; on the French side, supermarket stations are cheaper

Note: Luxembourg fuel is even cheaper (about 1.45 €/L diesel, 25 cents below France). If your route goes via Luxembourg, fill there.

TICPE and how the price is built

Part of the French pump price is set by law and does not move when the price does. The duty is still widely called TIPP, but its legal name has been accise sur les produits énergétiques since the 2022 finance law, after being TICPE from 2011; the abbreviation TICPE is what the customs tables use.

These are the rates for all twelve mainland regions: contrary to a common claim, the regions do not currently differ from each other. Corsica is the exception, with a lower diesel rate that includes a statutory reduction.

On top of the product price and the duty comes VAT at 20%, charged on the duty as well, so the tax take rises automatically when the price rises. Everything else is crude cost, refining and margin, which move weekly. The current figure is in the live table at the top of this page.

Recalculated every build from the current pump price. The excise is a fixed amount per litre, so its share falls as the price rises.

TICPE relief for specific sectors

HGV drivers and farmers can claim back part of the TIPP, but not private cars. No relief for tourists from the UK or EU.

Stations along the main routes

Specific tips per standard UK-to-Europe route through France:

Route 1: Calais → Paris (A26/A1)

• First French station: Auberchicourt (A1 Aire de Phalempin, expensive)
• Recommendation: Exit at Calais Coquelles, Leclerc or Carrefour
• Last station before Paris: Plessis-Belleville Aire (very expensive, avoid)

Route 2: Calais → Lyon (A26/A6)

• First French station: same as Route 1 (Calais Leclerc)
• Between Reims and Lyon: exit at Auxerre for Carrefour
• Just before Lyon: avoid Mâcon-Sud Aire, use the Mâcon-Nord Leclerc

Route 3: Le Havre → Paris (A29/A13)

• First French station: just after Le Havre, A29 Aire (mid-range)
• Recommendation: Exit at Caen for Leclerc

Route 4: Cherbourg → Paris (N13)

• Smaller motorway, fewer dedicated areas: fill at Cherbourg before driving
• At Caen: Leclerc or Carrefour

Route 5: St Malo → Brittany / Loire (N137/A28)

• St Malo direct exit: Leclerc or Carrefour at Rennes
• Continuing east: fill at Le Mans Leclerc

Petrol grades explained

The French fuel terminology can confuse:

Crit’Air and fuel prices: any link?

UK drivers with older diesels with Crit’Air 4 or 5 stickers cannot enter the centre of Paris, Lyon and Strasbourg. Outside the centres, the Crit’Air rules do not apply to fuel stations. Fuel prices are not Crit’Air-dependent, but diesel drivers with older stickers have fewer station choices in the city centres.

Money-saving tips while driving

• Fuel up whenever possible in the morning or Wednesday afternoon: many stations update prices then, often with a small reduction
• Peak weekends (mid-July, early August): prices rise 5-10 cents due to high demand
• On Good Friday/All Saints/Labour Day: many stations closed, plan ahead
• Card payment is universal, cash increasingly less common
• After 22:00: many stations become self-service by card (also French ones). Older self-service stations may not accept foreign cards
• Save 1-2 €/tank by paying with a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees (Halifax Clarity, Chase, Wise, etc.)