Six changes in France in February 2025

Péage increases

From February 1, toll rates (péage booth payments) will rise by an average of 0.92% on the French motorway network.

The exact increases will vary depending on which company runs the motorway in question, reports specialist website AutoPlus. 

• SAPN will see the biggest increase: 1.14%

• Followed by AREA: 1.10%

• APRR: 1.08% 

• SANEF: 0.85% 

• VINCI Autoroutes: 0.77%

The increases are not as high as expected, however. It was feared that motorway companies could significantly increase their prices as a way to pay for the government’s controversial introduction of a new ecological tax. However this cost has so far not been passed on to drivers.

Read also: Barrier-free French motorway: driver complaints increase over extra fines

Regulated electricity tariffs

Regulated electricity tariffs will fall by 15%, slightly more than the predicted 14%.

Emmanuelle Wargon, president of the Commission de Régulation de l'Énergie (CRE), has said this is the first time that there has been such a drop in 10 years.

It comes after a decree on December 28, 2024 confirmed the end of the electricity tariff shield (bouclier tarifaire). The shield had been introduced to protect consumers from soaring electricity prices from 2022. 

Despite the end of the ‘shield’ the regulated electricity tariff (le tarif réglementé de l’électricité) is set to fall, after the CRE said that tariffs should be reinstated at €239 including VAT on February 1. This represents a drop of €42 on average since February 1 last year when they averaged €281. 

The CRE said that the reason for the drop is due to “sharply declining market prices, linked to a gradual return to normality following the energy price crisis”.

A fall in regulated electricity tariffs will positively impact those in France who are signed up to a regulated tariff contract. It will also particularly benefit heavy users of electricity, especially owners of electric vehicles who charge their cars at home.

Read more: Confirmed: Electricity bills to drop by 15% from February for most French households 

Rise in carte grise registration price

Some regions will see a rise in the cost of registrations for vehicles (le prix du cheval fiscal), also called the registration for a carte grise, come into force.

Normandy will see the highest increase, with registration per vehicle having risen from €46 to €60, a 30% increase year-on-year. It comes after Normandy increased its rates last year also, from €35 to €46.

Corsica has also increased its rates: From €27 to €43

Nouvelle-Aquitaine: From €45 to €53

PACA: From €51.20 to €59 

Centre-Val de Loire: From €55 to €60.

Grand Est: From €48 to €60 

Brittany: From €55 to €60.

Read also: French driving documents can now be delivered via a simplified procedure 

Savings accounts

From February 1, the annual interest rate on Livret A savings accounts will fall, due to falling inflation rates. 

The rate had been set at 3% since February 1, 2023, but will now fall to 2.4%. 

The same has already applied to the Livret d'Epargne Populaire (LEP) which is reserved for low-income savers. This rate fell to 3.5% from 4%, between August 1, 2024 and January 31, 2025. 

Read more: Interest on popular ‘Livret A’ French savings accounts to drop to 2.4%
Read more: Livret A savings: Why are they so popular? How do I open an account? 

Winter sales

The official winter sales, which began on January 8 in most of France, will end on Tuesday, February 4. 

Read more: What are the dates of France’s January 2025 sales? 

Tobacco rises

The price of some cigarettes will rise in France on February 1. 

The official Customs website lists some increases for different brands. 

For example, the price of a 20-cigarette pack of Gauloises Blondes Bleu will rise from €12.30 to €12.50.

The rises are part of the government’s continued fight against smoking, with rising prices considered a major means to deter smokers. The aim is that the average price of a 20-pack of cigarettes will reach €13 by 2027.