French gas reference price to rise 7.4% on 1 July, adding €2.70 a month for six million households
The French energy regulator CRE announced a 7.4% increase in the gas reference price for July, driven by Middle East conflict disruptions and higher distribution tariffs, affecting about 60% of residential subscribers.
The July increase
Around six million French households will see their gas bills rise from 1 July, after the Commission de régulation de l'énergie (CRE) set the monthly reference price at €164.21 per MWh including tax, up from €152.86 in June. The 7.4% jump translates to an average increase of €2.70 per month for subscribers on indexed offers. The CRE said the July reference price is 18% higher than the April level, which had not yet reflected the surge in oil and gas prices linked to the Middle East conflict.
The July reference price is 18% higher than the April reference price, which did not yet take into account the surge in oil and gas prices linked to the war in the Middle East.
What is driving the rise
Two components are pushing the bill upward. The first is the wholesale gas price, which has climbed as geopolitical tensions disrupt supply. The second is the annual adjustment of the ATRD (Accès des tiers aux réseaux de distribution de gaz naturel) tariff, which finances maintenance, operation and development of distribution networks. An increase in the cost of energy savings certificates, paid by suppliers and partly passed on to consumers, also contributes.
Who is affected
Households on offers indexed to the reference price — about 60% of France's residential gas subscribers — will feel the full increase. The remaining 40% on fixed-price contracts with major operators such as Engie are shielded from the wholesale component but will still pay the higher distribution tariff, adding an estimated 1.5% to their bills on average. France counted 10.34 million natural gas contracts at the end of December.
- 2026-04-01
- 139.12 €/MWh
- 2026-05-01
- 160.54 €/MWh
- 2026-06-01
- 152.86 €/MWh
- 2026-07-01
- 164.21 €/MWh
Recent price trajectory
The July rise follows a 4.8% decline in June, which itself came after a sharp 15.4% jump on 1 May, when the average price reached €160.54 per MWh (up from €139.12 in April). The CRE noted that prices are not expected to fall again soon, given the ongoing pressure from the Middle East conflict that has already pushed up costs at French petrol stations and is now feeding through to gas cookers, heaters and boilers.
