How to find free or discounted electric car charging in France

A recent initiative in which a village in Aisne set up free charging for electric vehicles (EVs) has put the spotlight on other low-cost charging options in France. 

The commune of Montigny-en-Arrouaise installed three free EV charging points for residents. Non-residents are limited to one charge per vehicle per week. 

Though free public charging is becoming less common as operators introduce paid-for services, discounts are available in some locations and through subscriptions and promotional offers.

Supermarket schemes 

Several major retailers offer discounted charging for customers with loyalty cards.

Carrefour ended its free charging offer in April 2026, but still offers low-cost options to loyalty card holders.

Club card holders get 10% cashback at charging stations of all power levels. PASS card users get 15% cashback at charging stations of all power levels, and one hour of 100% cashback at 22kW charging stations, once a day, via the Carrefour Energies app. 

Auchan offers up to two hours free charging at its 11kW charging stations for customers using its Waaoh! loyalty card.

Lidl offers regular EV charging promotions for holders of its Lidl Plus card. A recent offer reduced charging from €0.42/kWh to €0.29/kWh. 

E. Leclerc offers its own charging app, Charge E-Lec, that gives customers access to lower charging prices and occasional promotions, such as 50% cashback on a first charge at participating stations.

Public car parks and streets

Some towns and cities still offer free EV charging, usually for a limited period. For example, Montpellier offers a free municipal charging service via its e-Totem stations. Residents with a Free Charging Pass are entitled to one free slow charge per day.

Rouen has offers on EV charging stations for those who sign up to its MOBI scheme. For example, slow charging (3.7kW) is free under the scheme at most of the city’s park-and-ride car parks.

Other cities, such as Nice, offer monthly subscriptions to their charging station networks (in Nice, the Prise de Nice).

Hotels, restaurants and shopping centres

Look for hotels with free EV charging when planning your trips away. Many booking sites now allow users to filter accommodation by charging options. On Booking.com, for example, look under ‘facilities’ and click on ‘electric vehicle charging station’.

Some restaurants and cinemas also provide free charging for customers, although availability varies by site.

Home charging 

While not free, this is often the simplest day-to-day solution. More electricity suppliers are launching offers aimed specifically at EV owners, with discounted off-peak – or even ‘super off-peak’ – electricity rates. EDF and TotalEnergies were the first to launch dedicated EV tariffs. They have since been joined by Engie, Ilek, Ekwateur, Alterna, and Octopus.

However, these tariffs often have higher daytime electricity prices than standard contracts. UFC-Que Choisir recommends comparing both standing charges and unit rates, as households using more electricity during the day may save more with a conventional off-peak tariff.

Useful apps and subscriptions

There are plenty of mobile apps to help drivers locate charging stations in France, which typically include filters that distinguish between free and paid options.

Many also operate as community platforms, letting users report in real time whether stations are working properly, payment methods, and any restrictions on who can use them.

Among the most widely used in France is Chargemap (chargemap.com), but also check out PlugShare (plugshare.com) and Octopus Electroverse (electroverse.com). The latter often offers dynamic pricing (tarification dynamique) promotions: when the electricity grid is supplied with an abundance of renewable energy, it advertises discounts at selected public charging stations operated by its partners. Users will receive notifications at least 24 hours before each promotion begins.

In June, Octopus Energy also teamed up with EV charging operator Powerdot to launch a ‘Drive Pack’ in France – a €49.99/month subscription combining unlimited home charging and unlimited access to the Powerdot public network.

Subscription models also exist elsewhere – TotalEnergies’ Charge+ card, for example, gives drivers access to more than 160,000 public charging points across France, including the company's own network and partner operators, with payments and route planning managed through the accompanying app.

The card costs €19.90, however an optional €3.90-a-month Zen subscription provides a 15% discount on high-power charging at TotalEnergies stations in mainland France.

Reform of EV charge pricing

France plans to make EV charging prices more transparent by requiring charging points to display the cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour (kWh) on roadside signs, mirroring the way petrol and diesel prices are shown at filling stations.

The reforms will also require all chargers to accept bank cards and be compatible with every electric vehicle. The measures form part of the French government's EV charging strategy, which is being rolled out in stages to 2035, with interim targets in 2027 and 2030.