Cheaper fuel across the French border: up to €23 saved per tank in Spain
On 1 November 2026 at 11 am, a 50-litre tank of diesel costs on average €22.85 less in Spain than in France. Luxembourg saves €12 to €18 per tank, Andorra even more according to the latest official figures. Belgium only pays off for petrol, Italy and Germany save a few euros, and Switzerland costs more.
This article is written from France: every gap is measured against French prices.
Today's average prices
| Country | Diesel | 95 petrol | Price date |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | €2.354 | €2.116 (E10) | 1 November, 11:18 |
| Spain | €1.897 | €1.724 | 1 November, 11:18 |
| Andorra | €1.674 | €1.677 | September average |
| Luxembourg (cap) | €2.110 | €1.759 | 1 November |
| Belgium (cap) | €2.452 | €1.988 (E10) | since 31 October |
| Italy | €2.242 | €2.012 | 1 November, 11:18 |
| Germany | €2.289 | €2.084 (E10) | 28 October |
| Switzerland (Geneva area) | CHF 2.48 (€2.70) | CHF 2.19 (€2.38) | 20 October |
Sources: France, Spain and Italy, average of every station published by the ministries, recorded by Mantan (8,422 French, 11,198 Spanish and 21,133 Italian stations for diesel). Luxembourg and Belgium: government maximum prices. Andorra: Departament d'Estadística, September 2026 note as reported by the Diari d'Andorra. Germany: ADAC national average. Switzerland: border-area survey by the Swiss customs office (FOCBS), converted at the ECB rate of 30 October (€1 = CHF 0.9194).
At the border, station against station
National averages do not tell the whole story: in La Jonquera, diesel costs 5 cents more than the Spanish average, and in Hendaye 8 cents less than the French average. Here are the averages of the stations on each side, recorded by Mantan on 1 November at 11 am, and the saving on a 50-litre tank.
| Crossing | Diesel, saving on 50 L | Petrol, saving on 50 L |
|---|---|---|
| Le Boulou → La Jonquera | €2.354 → €1.946: €20.40 | €2.118 → €1.764: €17.70 |
| Hendaye → Irun | €2.272 → €1.960: €15.60 | €2.075 → €1.776: €14.95 |
| Thionville, Longwy → Luxembourg | €2.369 → €2.110: €12.95 | €2.156 → €1.759: €19.85 |
| Menton → Ventimiglia | €2.361 → €2.225: €6.80 | €2.194 → €2.004: €9.50 |
| Lille → Belgium (cap) | €2.308 → €2.452: −€7.20 | €2.074 → €1.988: €4.30 |
On the French side, petrol is compared as E10.
Also compare with the cheapest station on your own side. This Sunday, of the 500 cheapest French stations for E10, 492 show €1.990, most of them TotalEnergies. For diesel, 386 of the 500 cheapest show €2.150. Against a French station at €1.990, Belgian E10 capped at €1.988 saves nothing.
Country by country
Spain. The steadiest gap: 46 cents per litre of diesel and 39 cents on petrol, national average. The standard petrol is unleaded 95 E5, which suits every petrol car.
Andorra. In September, diesel cost €1.674 and unleaded 95 €1.677 on average. That is 68 cents below today's French diesel. But these prices are two months old and included a temporary government discount, which ended on 30 September according to the local press: today's price is probably higher.
Luxembourg. The price is a cap set by the Ministry of the Economy, the same everywhere; below it, each station is free to charge less. The saving is bigger on petrol (36 cents per litre against French E10) than on diesel (24 cents).
Belgium. The Federal Public Service Economy revises its maximum prices regularly; the current one applies since 31 October. This weekend, Belgian diesel is capped 10 cents above the French average: no point crossing for diesel.
Germany. ADAC recorded €2.289 for diesel and €2.084 for E10 on 28 October, on average. Against the French average, that is €1.60 (E10) to €3.25 (diesel) per 50-litre tank.
Italy. A small gap, 10 to 19 cents per litre depending on the fuel and the place: compare station by station.
Switzerland. Dearer than France in every border area surveyed by Swiss customs on 20 October: in Geneva, diesel costs the equivalent of €2.70, against €2.40 on the French side.
The rules
Jerrycans. Coming back to France from another EU country, French customs set no volume: they speak of "personal consumption". Coming back from Switzerland or Andorra, the allowance is the vehicle's tank plus a spare can of 10 litres at most. On safety, the European agreement on the carriage of dangerous goods (ADR) exempts private individuals provided the container is leak-proof, up to 60 litres per container.
Switzerland. It lets in 25 litres in a jerrycan duty-free. On motorways, the vignette costs CHF 40 for the year. The currency is the Swiss franc; euros are often accepted, with change given in francs, and cards work almost everywhere.
Andorra. The euro has been the official currency since the monetary agreement with the EU. On the way back to France, your purchases are limited to €900 per traveller aged 15 and over.
The maths: is the detour worth it?
A detour is paid for in fuel:
round-trip km × consumption per 100 km ÷ 100 × price per litre = cost of the detour
Example: an average diesel car uses 5.93 litres per 100 km (French ministry traffic report, 2024). From Le Boulou to La Jonquera, a 50-litre tank saves €20.40. A 40 km round trip costs 40 × 5.93 ÷ 100 × €2.354 = €5.58. Net saving: €14.82.
Beyond a certain distance, the detour eats the whole saving. At today's prices, with an average car (5.93 L/100 km diesel, 6.72 L/100 km petrol) and a 50-litre tank:
| Crossing | Diesel | Petrol |
|---|---|---|
| Andorra (September prices) | 244 km round trip | 154 km |
| La Jonquera | 146 km | 124 km |
| Irun | 116 km | 107 km |
| Luxembourg | 92 km | 137 km |
| Ventimiglia | 49 km | 64 km |
| Belgium | never worth it | 31 km |
These thresholds ignore time, tolls and wear. In practice, filling up abroad pays off mostly when the station is already on your way.
Before you go
Mantan shows stations on both sides of the border on the same map, in Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium and Italy, with the price and the time of its last update. Open mantan.app, pick your fuel, and see which side of the border the cheapest station on your route is.
