Are there online comparison sites for French energy bills and offers?
A regulated tariff exists for electricity but not for gas
There are warnings that energy prices could shoot up next year
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Reader Question: Is there a platform where we can research current energy offers against the government’s regulated rate? I switched contracts 18 months ago and want to check my current deal is still advantageous.
The most ‘official’ comparison site that you can use is the one run by the energy ombudsman (le Médiateur national de l'énergie), which can be used for both gas and electricity contracts, which you can view here.
To use it, you need to enter basic details (postcode, property and occupancy information, and if possible the property’s Linky meter) and answer some questions about electrical products and household energy consumption.
It then provides a list of potential contracts and their estimated costs, including the regulated tariff offered by EDF.
This can be filtered by factors such as length of contract, type of tariff, and whether it uses renewable energy.
The mediator also has an FAQ section which details how to reduce consumption and therefore your bill.
Alternatively, you can use commercial websites that have their own comparison simulators, such as HelloWatt.
Despite a recent drop in power prices of around 15% for consumers on the regulated tariff, there are warnings bills could shoot up next year in relation to new rules related to nuclear-generated power (France gets the majority of its energy from this).
Read more: Electricity bills at risk of steep rises, claims French consumer association
Gas
As a reminder, there are no ‘regulated’ gas contracts in France, but the Commission de régulation de l’énergie (CRE) provides a benchmark price.
This allows consumers to see if the amount they are paying on their bill is close to this price, and look for alternatives if they believe they are paying too much.
The benchmark is updated monthly – in May 2025, gas prices on the benchmark fell after several months of successive rises.
New benchmark prices are €0.145 per kW/h for cooking and hot water and €0.116 per kW/h for heating.
Read more: Gas price reduction among May 2025 changes
