Shoppers price survey for petrol and diesel in Calais, France - day-tripper.net
Petrol and Diesel - price surveys
Latest survey (excel spreadsheet)
The official French Government site with the latest up to date fuel prices. www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr
- Dover fuel prices. www.petrolprices.com
The British Automobile Association European fuel prices survey (May 2008). www.theaa.com
We do our price surveys to see where it is cheapest to buy your fuel. We only do a new one if there is a tax change and for examle, diesel becomes more expensive in Belgium. To find the latest up to date prices, click on the links listed above.
July 2008 - Diesel now 1.419 euro in Calais, Unleaded 95 is 1.478 euro.
May 2008 - Diesel now 1.539 euro in Calais, Unleaded 95 is 1.489 euro.
December 2007 - Diesel now 1.305 euro in Calais, Unleaded 95 is 1.179 euro. In Belgium diesel is more expensive (1.409), but unleaded 95 (1.099) cheaper than France.
Petrol is no longer much cheaper in France. Unleaded 95 is a little cheaper compared with the U.K.
LPG is now about the same price in Calais. Diesel remains a good buy however and is about 13.1% cheaper.
Petrol in Belgium is now more expensive than France and the U.K. Diesel remains a good buy though and is about 16.9% cheaper than the U.K.
Diesel (GAZOLE) remains the most attractive purchase for channel shoppers when in Calais (13.14% cheaper in France). Buying on the autoroutes is extremely expensive (Petrol is 6.22% more than a hypermarket, and diesel about 7.82% more) - we suggest you find a supermarket and save money (fuel off the autoroutes).
Out of hours the best value garage seems for unleaded is the Shell garage near Auchan in Calais, for diesel the Elf Garage just off exit 3 on the A26 autoroute (the one you leave the port by).
The survey in full (excel spreadsheet - download)
You may not bring back petrol in cans on the ferry. However I personally do and have never been stopped. Eurotunnel allow you the following; "Designed for Use" plastic container, 2 x 5 litres (no more than 10 litres), "Designed for Use" metal container, 2 x 10 litres (no more than 20 litres).
Petrol Stations
Auchan 8.30am - 9.30pm (Auchan fuel prices - bottom of page). Carrefour-Cite 8.30am - 9.30pm (Carrefour fuel prices). Carrefour Mi-voix 8.30am - 8.30pm.
January 2007 - The machines at Auchan Hypermarket petrol station in Calais now accept U.K.credit cards. We also hear from visitors, that most Auchan stores in France now accept U.K. credit cards for oput of hours fuel.
Best Buys (Other best buys); Diesel is the best buy for fuel in France, as you will save at least 13% on U.K. prices.
For prices at many local garages try these sites; www.auchanboulogne.com, www.carrefour-calais.com
CREDIT CARDS - we suggest you ring your credit card company before shopping in France - increased fraud means they are turning down shoppers cards if their spending deviates from the norm. Take your mobile - you can often sort the problem out over the phone.
Useful outside links
 - www.rip-off.co.uk - Worth visiting.
www.acl.lu - European fuel prices from the Autombile Club of Luxembourg Spanish fuel prices - oficinavirtual.mityc.es/carburantes www.irishfuelprices.com www.fuelprotest.com www.abd.org.uk/fuelcost - How much tax you pay on fuel. |
We check petrol and diesel prices frequently. Regular updates are made to our web pages so that you can form your own opinion as to where to go in order to get the best deal or save the most (depending on your requirements). We found that fuel prices at Auchan Boulogne and Dunkirk are even cheaper than in Calais, although not enough for you to go out of your way. Due to a local price war, the prices at all the main supermarkets are the same. Plan your journey, there are plenty of Hypermarkets close to Autoroute exits and a small detour will save you money (fuel off the autoroutes). Diesel offers the best saving as it is about 13% cheaper. You save £8.80 a 50 litre tank. Charts showing price differences - U.K., France, Belgium and Luxembourg. 
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Survey of petrol and diesel prices in Calais, France. (U.K. prices converted at the rate of 1.22 euro to the £. Survey Carried out 10th July 2008)
Fuel | Unleaded 95 | Diesel | LPG | In France | S.P. 95 | GAZOLE | GPL | Sainsbury's, London. | 119.90p | 133.90p | 56.90 | Auchan Hypermarkets | 121.15p | 116.31p | 58.11 | % more in U.K. | - 1.03% | 15.12% | -2.08% | % less in Calais | - 1.04% | 13.14% | -2.13% | Carrefour Hypermarket | 121.15p | 116.31p | 58.11 | Autoroute - Elf Garage on A16 (Aire des 2 Caps) | 128.69p | 125.41p | - | % more on autoroutes | 6.22% | 7.82% | - | Filling up in Calais (50 Litres) will save you - | - 0.63p | £8.80 | - |
** Avoid filling up on the autoroutes if you can - with a bit of planning you can go off the motorway and save a fair amount by filling up at a Hypermarket. Visit our fuel off the autoroutes page for more information. If you are going to Adinkerke its worth stopping off at the Auchan Hypermarket there - fuel is often cheaper there than in Calais. |
 - www.carbeo.com. A private site but easy to follow.
www.prix-carburants.gouv.fr - The official French Government site - comprehensive. www.iru.org - European prices and history. Updated fortnightly. www.theaa.com - For latest fuel prices in Europe, look under "Motoring Advice, then Motoring costs" IDS - European diesel prices (VAT not included!) www.ids.q8.com |
Thes tips are from a French Government web site. 1. Drive gently and do not accelerate quickly 2. Avoid speeding 3. Try reduce your speed on motorways by 10% 4. Locally, use public transport 5. Maintain your vehicle 6. Check that your tyres are properly inflated 7. Don't overuse your air conditioning and heating 8. Use your car consumption indicators 9. When not in use remove the storage boxes on the car roof. 10. Choose fuel efficient cars |
LPG (GPL) - More popular in Europe than in the U.K. Known as GPL in France. However it is a bit cheaper in the U.K. (about 2%). Expect to pay around 0.709 euro (58p) in France. The Auchan Hypermarket sells LPG. Where to buy LPG in France |
Overtaxed - Britain's taxes are the highest in Europe The government says that we have high indirect taxes to support better infrastructure and services, but £36 billion was raised in fuel taxes in 1999, ONLY £6 BILLION WAS INVESTED. When they say they are using high taxes to force drivers to be more efficient remember that the 422,000 freight vehicles today carry more freight than 500,000 vehicles 20 years ago. Modern trucks also produce 20 times less pollutants than 30 years ago. The facts; 70% of the cost of fuel purchased in the U.K. is excise duty. The highest rate of diesel excise duty in the E.U. is in the U.K. With more and more people shopping in Europe, the downside of high taxes (you eventually raise less) will hopefully finally drop. France. Taxes have been rising in France as well. This is the average price of a litre of diesel in France since 2001. 2001 July - 0.755 euro. 2002 January - 0.700 euro. July - 0.739 euro. 2003 January - 0.789 euro. July - 0.720 euro. 2004 January - 0.780 euro. July - 0.840 euro. 2005 January - 0.870 euro. July - 1.020 euro. 2006 January - 0.999 euro. July - 1.090 euro. 2007 January - 1.000 euro. July - 1.058 euro. 2008 January - 1.170 euro. July - 1.419 euro. |
Unleaded fuel is more expensive in Belgium compared with France, but remains cheaper in Luxembourg. Diesel is cheaper Belgium. FINA Garage - the cheapest place to buy fuel in Adinerke. Texaco, Duinkerkekeiweg 19. Tel: 0032 58 42 13 76. Open: 7/7, 6.00am - 10.00pm. |
