Top 10 tips for finding gas despite the shortage

At the beginning of October 2022, the refineries of TotalEnergies went on strike. Result: a first wave of fuel shortages settled in various French service stations. As always, faced with the beginning of a shortage, the Frenchman panics and rushes (a tad selfishly) on the endangered Holy Grail. He stores, as he stored dozens of packs of rolls of PQ during confinement, and only fuels the phenomenon. We are in it. Nearly one out of three stations now displays a shortage of at least one fuel. The various road users therefore rush to the stations, even if it means queuing for hours (cc the most beautiful queues in Paris), keeping their fingers crossed so that, when their turn comes, there is still a little fuel left to water their vehicle. Hard hard. To stick together in this short period of scarcity, here are some tips for finding gas near you. Present.

1. Consult the government’s interactive map…

An interactive map, free and updated regularly, at the address prix-carburants.gouv.fr. When the site does not crash because it is overloaded (oops), it indicates the points of sale according to criteria to be defined (type of fuel, municipalities, etc.).

2. … that of penurie.mon-essence.fr…

This one is a carte collective, updated directly with data provided by users. Like the previous one, it allows you to target your searches by city or region. Some websites, such as Le Parisien, use the data available on this site to keep their information up to date.

3. … or that of Total Energy

For stations in the TotalEnergies network, the group publishes a carte making it possible to find all its sites in the world, also displaying the prices of fuels and their availability. The map is regularly updated, and the date of the last information updates is communicated for each station.

4. Use GPS apps…

Waze, for example, allows you to select your preferred type of fuel to find a suitable station. Just like the map of penurie.mon-essence.frWaze is based on the collaborative aspect: the different users update the information in real time.

5. … or Gasoil Now, Gasoline & Co and Gaspal

Available on both Iphone and Android, these different applications also allow you to go to the right stations. Gasoil Now and Essence & Co find points of sale and compare prices at the pump, for all fuels at referenced stations. They are based in particular on the official government map, and on user reports, like Waze. Gaspal only works with reports from individuals.

6. Check local newspaper sites

Toulouse news for the pink city and its outskirts, Oise Weekly for the department of Oise, or The Telegram in Brittany: the various sites and local newspapers list the stations that are functional or not in the areas they cover. Don’t hesitate to take a look at your local media!

7. Siphon tanks

Preferably that of your neighbour, who systematically steals your reserved space in the car park of your residence. As we say among young people: CHEH! (It’s wrong, don’t do that. You risk not knowing how to do it, and drinking the cup. A shot of Diesel, it disinfects, but it’s not tip top in terms of health!)

8. Dig at the bottom of your garden

Deeply. Very deeply. Until reaching the earth’s crust, approximately.

9. … Or go straight to the source

But this is not the most ecological or economical solution. Investing in an electric bike will surely be more profitable. It’s up to you… I distribute the solutions, you select the ones that resonate the most in your heart of hearts.

10. Go live in the depths of the Creuse

In this magical, mystical and mysterious land where people always travel on the back of a donkey. What a godsend in these times of energy crises!