# Taking your electric car on holiday to France

> How many charging stops do you need on the way to France? A worked example, tips on charging cards, overnight stays and a safety margin, and when to plan extra.

Published: 2026-06-16 · Language: en · Source: https://laadpaalvinden.be/en/blog/ev-road-trip-to-france/

For many Belgians, France is a day's drive away, and an EV handles it fine. You just plan the trip differently. You charge during a break, over lunch or at your accommodation. Work that out beforehand and you'll notice little difference on the road.

## Work out how many stops you need

Here is an example with assumptions you can adjust. Say your battery has 60 kWh usable and your car uses 22 kWh per 100 km on the motorway. That is more than in town, especially at 120 km/h. You charge from about 10% to 80% each time.

- That is 70% of 60 kWh, so 42 kWh per stop.
- With 42 kWh you drive 42 / 0.22 = roughly 190 km.
- For 1,000 km you need five to six charging stops.
- If each stop takes 25 minutes, you are on the road a little over two hours longer than with a petrol car.

Why 80% and not 100%? Above 80% a battery charges noticeably more slowly. An extra 20-minute stop is often quicker than topping up the last 20%. You can read more in the piece on the [charging curve](/en/blog/charging-curve-fast-charging-slows/) and on [why 80% is enough](/en/blog/why-charge-to-80-percent/).

Your own figures will differ from this example. Look at your consumption on an earlier motorway trip, or read how to [calculate your consumption](/en/blog/calculate-ev-consumption-kwh-100km/).

## Plan with a route planner, then check yourself

A route planner that knows your car suggests charging stops and takes speed, elevation and temperature into account. Also look at the fast chargers along the route on the [map](/en/map/), so you know what to do if a planned stop doesn't work out. For an overview of the apps, see our piece on [route planner apps](/en/blog/best-ev-route-planner-apps/).

## Never arrive on an empty battery

Plan to reach each fast charger with at least 10 to 15% in reserve. A charger can be occupied or out of order, and you still have to reach the next one. Pick locations with several chargers where you can, especially in high season, when the rest areas along the big motorways are busy. A charger shown as free in the app can still be taken. What to do then is covered in [charger occupied, what now?](/en/blog/charger-occupied-what-now/) and [broken charger, what to do](/en/blog/broken-charger-what-to-do/).

Combine the stop with something useful. A lunch or toilet break takes about as long as 20 to 30 minutes of fast charging.

## Charging card and payment in France

Your Belgian charging card won't automatically work everywhere in France, and the rate can differ a lot from what you pay at home. Check before you leave:

1. Is France part of your card's network, and what is the price per kWh?
2. Can you pay at the charger by bank card or QR code if your card doesn't work?
3. Do you have a second card or a second way to pay with you?

The details are in our pieces on [charging abroad](/en/blog/charging-abroad-roaming/) and on [paying by card or QR at the charger](/en/blog/pay-by-card-or-qr-at-charger/). Rates and terms change regularly, so always check the current price in your card's app.

## An overnight stay with a plug

Ask beforehand whether your hotel, campsite or holiday home has a charge point. Not every owner mentions it in the listing. Ask straight away:

- what power the charge point delivers,
- whether you need your own cable,
- how and at what price you are billed.

A normal wall socket is better than nothing, but slow. At 2.3 kW you get 23 kWh into the battery in 10 hours. At 22 kWh per 100 km, that is about 100 km. That may do for a relaxed holiday day, but not for another long drive. Only use such a socket if the owner agrees, and first read about the [risks of an emergency cable](/en/blog/emergency-cable-wall-socket-risks/).

## What does it cost?

Fast charging on the road costs more than charging at home. An example: say you pay 0.60 euro per kWh on average (an assumption, not a fixed rate). A 42 kWh stop then costs 25.20 euro, and five stops come to 126 euro. If your actual rate is higher or lower, the total moves with it. How to keep this down is covered in [cutting fast charging costs](/en/blog/cut-fast-charging-costs/).

## When you need to plan extra

Not every trip runs as smoothly.

- In the mountains your consumption rises on the climbs, so your range per stop drops. Count on a shorter distance than in the example.
- Cold or hot weather affects range and charging speed. See [winter charging](/en/blog/ev-winter-range-and-charging/) and [charging in summer heat](/en/blog/charging-ev-in-summer-heat/).
- With a trailer or caravan, consumption is much higher. Read about [towing with an EV](/en/blog/towing-with-an-ev-range/).
- On a short trip to northern France, the return journey may fit within your range. If you can charge at your destination, you might not need a stop on the way.

If you are driving through the Netherlands or Germany, read our piece on [charging in the Netherlands and Germany](/en/blog/charging-in-netherlands-germany/). More general tips are in [fast charging on trips](/en/blog/fast-charging-on-trips/).