Setting Up Utilities in France: 2026 Guide for Expats

Electricity

Electricity in France is fully deregulated, so you choose your supplier freely. The distribution network — the cables, the meter, the response to outages — is operated nationally by Enedis (rebranded from ERDF in 2016). EDF remains the historic supplier and the only one offering the regulated tariff (tarif bleu), but alternative suppliers almost always undercut it.

Aim to activate electricity service about two weeks before move-in to guarantee no interruption. If the previous occupant left more than six months ago, the supply may be physically cut and reactivation by Enedis can take a few business days.

Opening an Electricity Account

To open an account in your name, call your chosen supplier with the following ready:

• Your contact information: name, email and phone number ;
• The full address of your new home, including floor and door details for flats ;
• The name of the previous occupant ;
• Your French IBAN and BIC if you choose direct debit.

You can also sign up online or in an EDF agency, but the phone route is usually the fastest, especially if you ask for an English-speaking line.

English-Speaking Customer Service for Electricity

Among historic suppliers, only EDF runs an English-language line, on 09 69 36 63 83 (press 2 for commercial enquiries and account opening). The call is free from a French landline.

For an offer cheaper than the EDF regulated tariff, Selectra's English-speaking advisors compare every supplier on the market and open the contract for you on 09 87 67 37 93. The full directory of English-speaking helplines in France covers every other utility line.

Billing and Meter Reading

Electricity bills are usually issued every two months and estimated from your previous consumption. An Enedis representative visits twice a year to read the meter, and your monthly direct debit is adjusted accordingly. If you have a Linky smart meter, readings are taken remotely and bills can be based on actual consumption every cycle.

Your bill always contains two charges: a fixed monthly subscription and a per-kWh rate for the energy you consume. The EDF regulated tariff is set by the public authorities and reviewed annually, while alternative suppliers usually offer a discount on one or both lines. Choose between a flat rate and a peak/off-peak (heures creuses) plan depending on when you actually use power.

Voltage, Outlets and Appliances

France runs on 230 V at 50 Hz, with the standard European Type E socket. Appliances from elsewhere in Europe will work fine, sometimes with a plug adaptor. From North America (120 V at 60 Hz), check each device individually: laptops and phone chargers are usually dual-voltage, but hairdryers, kettles and clocks usually are not. Our guide to sockets and voltage in France shows how to read the rating plate on your appliances.

Closing an Electricity Account

If you are switching suppliers at the same address, your new supplier handles the cancellation for you — there is no fee, no penalty and no service interruption. If you are moving home, you must close the contract at the old address and open a new one at the new address; the same supplier can usually do both in a single call.

To close an account you will need:

• Your full name ;
• Your customer number (numéro de client) ;
• The meter site ID (numéro de point de livraison — PDL) ;
• The intended closure date.

You can also use Selectra's free cancellation service, which provides a ready-to-send template letter or handles the closure on your behalf.

Water

Mains water in France is supplied through long-term contracts between local communes (mairies) and a small number of private operators. The three biggest are Veolia, Suez (formerly Lyonnaise des Eaux) and Saur. To find out who serves your address, ask your mairie or check the Selectra water directory. Water is billed by cubic metre, with the average French household paying around €4.30 per cubic metre in 2026 (price varies widely by commune).

Registration

In a flat, you usually do not need to open a water account: water is included in the building's shared charges (charges de copropriété) and metered collectively. In a house, call the local water operator with:

• Your contact information: name, email and phone number ;
• Your new address ;
• The name of the previous occupant.

Billing and Sewerage

Water bills are usually issued every six months. The bill includes the water itself, the standing charge and the sewerage charge (assainissement) — the three together cover treatment of both incoming and outgoing water.

Some rural homes are not connected to mains sewerage and rely on individual systems (assainissement non collectif), most often a septic tank (fosse septique). These systems must be inspected periodically by the local SPANC. If you are buying a rural property, the diagnostic of the existing system is mandatory and disclosed at the sale — read it carefully before signing.

Internet and TV

Four telecoms operators share the French market: Orange (formerly France Telecom), SFR, Bouygues Telecom and Free. Each sells a "box" bundle combining internet, a fixed line and usually TV, with the option to add a mobile plan at a discount. Fibre is now available to over 90% of homes, and prices on entry-level offers start around €20–€25 per month for the first year.

Signing Up for an Internet Plan

You can subscribe by phone, in a provider's shop or online. Prepare:

• Your contact information: name, email, phone number, address ;
• A piece of ID (passport or visa) ;
• The name of the previous occupant, useful for fibre eligibility checks ;
• Your banking information (IBAN and BIC) for direct debit.

Most operators now sell sans engagement (no-commitment) plans — you can cancel any time without penalty. Older 12 or 24-month contracts still exist on some discounted offers. In zones non-dégroupées (rare, mostly very rural), Orange is still the only ADSL operator and other providers must rent the line, which makes their offers more expensive there.

English-Speaking Helpline for Internet

Orange runs a dedicated English line on 09 69 36 39 00, free from a French landline, for sales and account opening. The other operators (SFR, Bouygues, Free) only offer customer service in French — and Selectra's English-speaking team on 09 77 55 72 27 is the practical workaround if you want to sign up with one of them.

Mobile Phones and SIM Cards

French mobile plans are among the cheapest in Europe. The four big operators all sell post-paid plans, alongside a competitive ecosystem of MVNOs (Sosh, RED, B&You, Prixtel and others) on the same networks. Plans with unlimited calls and 100+ GB of data are routinely available for under €15 per month. To sign up, you will need:

• Your address and contact details ;
• Proof of identification (passport, residence permit or birth certificate) ;
• Proof of address (justificatif de domicile): an energy bill from the past three months, a tax bill or a rent receipt (quittance de loyer) ;
• Your French banking information (RIB), required for nearly all post-paid plans.

If you have not opened a French bank account yet, prepaid SIM cards from Lycamobile, Lebara or the operators' own prepaid ranges let you have a French number from day one. Our guide on getting a SIM card in France walks through every option.