The rise in fuel prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, has led thousands of French drivers to cross the border to buy fuel.

They do this to save up to forty cents on the a litre of gasoline or diesel when filling up. This might not sound much but they are paying around 2.20 euros and even sometimes even 2.30 euros.

Both Figueras and La Junquera, just across the Pyrenees, are where this phenomenon occurs, with locals seeing a constant flow of French-plated vehicles.

However, these Catalan towns are not the only ones because at the other end of the Pyrenees it’s occuring, too, in border towns like Irun.

This is resulting in long queues at service stations because the French are not only filling their tanks, but also up to four jerrycans as well (see photo).

The explanation for this gap lies in national policy decisions; while Pedro Sánchez’s government implemented a 5-billion-euro anti-crisis plan in late March, the French authorities have opted for targeted aid for specific sectors like transport, agriculture, and fishing, without directly intervening in fuel taxation.

Obviously, Catalan service-station chains have seen an increase by up to 40% in recent days, and we can imagine the same percentage of loss over on the French side.

However, the downside for Spanish drivers is that service-station tanks are emptying in hours and suppliers are struggling to keep up fast enough, leading to frustration among regular customers facing long-wait times.

(News: Figueras, Gerona, Cataluña)

Keywords: French Drivers, Cheaper Fuel, Queues, La Junquera, Irun, Pyrenees