Electric Vehicles

The future of vehicular transport is electric, and France is in the vanguard. Although there are more than 30,000 charging stations (bornes de recharge) in the country, there need to be more. Smartphone apps such as Chargemap and Izivia can help you to find them and to pay the charging fee.

Keep an eye out for chargers at fuel stations, hotels, busy restaurants, major tourist attractions, and city parking zones.

Assure that the station you want and the electric car you're driving are compatible—not all chargers fit all cars.

Fossil Fuels

Fuel stations are not as common in France as in some countries, so you should note them, and check your supply of fuel, when you see them.

The four most common types of motor vehicle fuel (carburant) in France are:

SP95/E10: Mixture of 95-octane gasoline/petrol (90%) with ethanol (10%)

E85 (Super Ethanol): A mixture of ethanol (70% to 85%) and gasoline/petrol (essence) (15% to 30%, depending on the season). This fuel may not be suitable for most gasoline/petrol-powered cars.

Gasole (Gasoil): Euro-diesel ('clean diesel') fuel

GPL: Liquefied Propane Gas

Not all cars are designed to use fuels containing ethanol, an alcohol derived from plants. Engine components, hoses, and instruments on cars more than a few years old, in particular, may not be designed to have contact with alcohol and may suffer progressive deterioration if fueled with ethanol-containing fuels for an extended period.

The French government maintains a website listing (in French only) all the fuel stations in France and the prices charged by them for the various types of motor fuel. More...

If you plan to hire/rent a car in France, your car will probably be a late model, and the type of fuel to be used should be specified somewhere on the car or rental agreement. (The fuel filler door or cap is a good place to look for a note on which fuel to use.)

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