By Can I Switch Energy Supplier in France?
Yes. The French energy market has been fully open to competition since 2007. You are free to leave EDF (electricity) or Engie (gas) at any time, with no termination fee and no interruption to your supply. Your new supplier handles the entire transfer, including notifying the grid operator and cancelling your old contract.
For gas specifically, the regulated tariff was abolished in July 2023. All customers are now on market offers, which makes it worth comparing suppliers regularly.
How to Switch Energy Supplier: Step by Step
Two actions on your part, about 20 minutes total. The rest is handled automatically by your new supplier and the grid operator.
Compare suppliers on unit price per kWh, monthly subscription, and contract type (fixed, indexed, or green energy). For English-speaking expats, customer service quality is often the deciding factor.
- Unit price per kWh: what you pay for each unit consumed.
- Monthly subscription: a fixed charge covering network access.
- Contract type: fixed, indexed, or green.
No interruption to your supply. The grid operator simply changes who bills you. Your old supplier continues invoicing until the switch date, then sends a closing statement. Any credit balance is refunded automatically.
3 things to sort out before comparing
Small decisions that affect your bill for years. Worth spending two minutes on them before you pick an offer.
Off-peak hours (heures creuses)
Many French meters are configured with two pricing slots: cheaper off-peak hours (usually 10pm–7am) and standard peak hours. If yours is set up this way, you pay less per kWh at night, which is ideal for running your dishwasher, washing machine, or water heater overnight. When switching, simply tell your new supplier you want to keep this option. Not every supplier offers it, so check the contract before signing.
Fixed rate vs indexed rate
A fixed rate locks your price per kWh for the contract term, typically one to two years. An indexed rate tracks a market index and adjusts each month. For most expats, a fixed rate means predictable bills and no nasty surprises mid-winter. It's worth a small premium for the peace of mind.
Your Linky smart meter
France's Linky smart meter works with every licensed electricity supplier. You don't need to replace it, request a technician visit, or do anything with it at all. When you switch, your new supplier simply updates your PDL registration with Enedis. The whole thing happens in the background.
Which Supplier Should I Switch To?
It depends on what matters most to you: price, service quality, green energy, or, if you don't speak French, a supplier with English-speaking support.
On price alone, the cheapest electricity offer currently beats EDF's regulated tariff by 13%, saving a typical household around €180 per year. For gas, the regulated tariff no longer exists: compare offers against the CRE's monthly reference price (PRVG). Use the comparator below to find the right balance for your situation.
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Moving to France or changing address
Setting up energy in a new apartment works slightly differently from switching supplier.
If you're moving into a new place in France for the first time, you need to open a new contract (ouverture de contrat), not just switch supplier. You'll need the apartment's PDL number (ask your landlord, check the electricity panel, or contact Enedis) and your move-in date.
If the apartment still has an active contract in a previous tenant's name, it may keep billing until you create your own. Don't wait: open your contract from day one to avoid being billed at a default rate that can be significantly higher than any market offer.
Already a tenant and want to switch supplier? French law gives you the full right to choose your own provider freely. Your landlord cannot impose a specific supplier, and the switch does not require their permission.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything expats ask us before switching. Click any question to expand.
Yes. There are no termination fees, deposits, or administrative costs. The French energy market has been fully open to competition since 2007, and consumers are free to switch at any time with no financial penalty.
Your only obligation is paying your final invoice from the previous supplier, which covers energy consumed up to the switch date.
Your new supplier handles everything. They notify Enedis (the grid operator), cancel your existing EDF or Engie contract, and start your new one. There is no interruption to your supply.
You'll receive a final invoice from your old supplier, and your new contract begins on the date you chose (typically within 15 days).
The online sign-up itself takes about 10 minutes. The technical switch completes within 15 days, or on a specific date you choose, which is useful when moving home.
For most households, yes. For electricity: if you are still on EDF's regulated tariff, the cheapest offer is currently ~13% cheaper for a typical household. For gas: the regulated tariff was abolished in 2023. Compare against the CRE's monthly reference price (PRVG). Use the comparator above to get exact figures.
Absolutely. Selectra has a dedicated English-speaking team for expats. We handle the entire sign-up by phone in under 10 minutes, including translation of contract terms and French-specific concepts like heures creuses and PDL/PCE numbers.
Call +33 9 87 67 37 93, Monday to Friday 8am–9pm, Saturday 9am–7pm.
Yes, and this is guaranteed by law. Every tenant in France has the full right to choose their own energy supplier independently of their landlord. Your landlord cannot impose a specific provider, and you do not need their permission to switch. The contract is in your name and your name only.
Switching is when you already have a contract and move to a different supplier. Opening a new contract (ouverture de contrat) is what you do when moving into a new apartment with no active contract in your name — you're creating a relationship with a supplier from scratch, not transferring one.
The process is similar for both, but moving in also requires a start date and sometimes confirmation that the meter is active. When in doubt, Selectra can handle both over the phone in English.
Yes. French consumer law gives you a 14-day cooling-off period (droit de rétractation) after signing any energy contract online. You can cancel within that window without giving a reason and without any penalty. After 14 days, you're committed — though you can still leave later at no cost, since there are no termination fees in the French energy market.