France: 595 Stations Dry and Diesel at 2.364 Euros

Analysis. Every figure below is sourced in the box at the end. The facts are laid out; the conclusion is yours.

In France, early on Sunday, October 18, 2026, 595 filling stations had none of the road fuels they normally sell, according to PrixCarbu, which compiles declarations made to the Ministry of the Economy. A further count of 1,570 stations out of 9,611 reported a shortage of at least one fuel. That is 6.2% fully dry and 16.3% short of something.

The same morning, diesel averaged 2.364 euros a litre, two cents more than a week earlier, according to Capital, which relays the data.

Where the shortage sits

Capital reports that TotalEnergies stations make up 87% of those flagging a shortage. By region, 23.6% of stations were affected in the leading region, ahead of Ile de France at 22.5% and Normandy at 19.8%. No shortage was recorded in Corsica.

The price cap

Capital also notes that since July the group has capped its prices at 1.99 euros a litre for petrol and 2.25 euros for diesel. The national diesel average of 2.364 euros is 11.4 cents above that cap, or about 5.1%. The sources read here do not establish whether the cap and the shortages are linked. They place the two facts side by side.

Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has said prices will fall "from November 1", according to a headline linked on the Capital page. The measure itself was not read for this article.

The questions that remain

• Is there a link between the price cap and the shortages, and who can measure it?
• What exactly will fall on November 1, and by how much?
• How many days of stocks does the country hold?