Why do fuel prices vary so much in France?
France has several types of service stations, and their pricing strategies are very different. Motorway service stations (autoroutes) are almost always the most expensive — often 15 to 20 cents per litre more than supermarket forecourts. Hypermarkets like Leclerc, Intermarché or Carrefour are consistently the cheapest, as they use fuel as a loss leader to attract customers. Independent stations and brand-name forecourts (Total, BP, Shell) fall somewhere in between. The difference can easily add up to €10 or more on a full tank.
How to use PrixPompe
PrixPompe uses official French public data from data.economie.gouv.fr, reported by the service stations and updated several times a day, to compare prices at all registered stations in France. Simply open the app at prixpompe.fr, allow location access or enter a postcode, choose your fuel type and instantly see the cheapest stations within your chosen radius. You can sort by price or distance, switch between list and map view, and get directions with one tap.
Fuel types in France
Diesel is called Gazole in France — the most common fuel for cars and vans. Unleaded petrol is sold as SP95 (standard), SP98 (premium) or E10 (10% ethanol blend, slightly cheaper). E85 bioethanol is available at growing number of stations and is very affordable if your vehicle is compatible. LPG (GPL in French) is also listed.
Practical tips for drivers in France
Fill up before motorway sections — prices jump at autoroute stations. Supermarket stations often have queues on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. Prices are updated by stations throughout the day, and PrixPompe reflects changes as soon as they are declared to the government. If you spot a price error, you can report it directly in the app.
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