Solar panel output in France, region by region
What one kilowatt-peak really produces depending on where you are, calculated for every commune with the European Commission’s tool, and how output is spread over the year.
In mainland France, one kilowatt-peak of solar panels facing due south and tilted at 35° produces a median 1,185 kWh a year. That figure comes from our calculation for 34,386 communes with PVGIS 5.3, the tool of the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, using PVGIS-SARAH3 satellite data for 2005-2023 and 14% system losses. Communes range from 887 to 1,589 kWh per kWp, so the sunniest produces 79 % more. The most productive region is Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, with a median of 1,494 kWh, the least productive Hauts-de-France, with 1,113. A 3 kWp system therefore produces from 3,339 to 4,482 kWh a year depending on the region, before the effect of the roof’s actual facing and tilt. Output also varies strongly through the year: in Lille, the best month produces 3.6 times as much as the weakest.
How much will your panels produce?
Output per year
3,395 kWh
| In July | 403 kWh |
| In December | 127 kWh |
| Value at Tarif Bleu | €679 |
Median of the département’s towns (PVGIS 2005-2023), roof at 30°, 14% losses.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
Median output by region
For each region, the median is the value of the middle commune: half the communes produce more, half less. The extremes show that within one region, terrain and distance from the sea change output a great deal.
| Region | Median (kWh/kWp/yr) | Least sunny commune | Sunniest | 3 kWp, median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | 1,494 | 1,132 | 1,589 | 4,482 kWh |
| Occitanie | 1,310 | 1,025 | 1,561 | 3,930 kWh |
| Nouvelle-Aquitaine | 1,259 | 1,130 | 1,368 | 3,777 kWh |
| Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes | 1,248 | 887 | 1,540 | 3,744 kWh |
| Pays de la Loire | 1,202 | 1,111 | 1,344 | 3,606 kWh |
| Centre-Val de Loire | 1,195 | 1,130 | 1,228 | 3,585 kWh |
| Bourgogne-Franche-Comté | 1,182 | 1,007 | 1,239 | 3,546 kWh |
| Île-de-France | 1,147 | 1,123 | 1,192 | 3,441 kWh |
| Bretagne | 1,144 | 1,050 | 1,282 | 3,432 kWh |
| Grand Est | 1,129 | 938 | 1,218 | 3,387 kWh |
| Normandie | 1,118 | 1,064 | 1,178 | 3,354 kWh |
| Hauts-de-France | 1,113 | 1,043 | 1,158 | 3,339 kWh |
The table assumes modules at 35° due south. An east- or west-facing roof produces less, and so does a flatter roof, except in the south in summer: the facing and tilt page gives the factor for your roof. Figures by département are in the table of 94 départements.
Month by month: north and south
| Month | Lille, 3 kWc | Marseille, 3 kWc |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 118 kWh | 276 kWh |
| Feb | 172 kWh | 314 kWh |
| Mar | 289 kWh | 413 kWh |
| Apr | 375 kWh | 441 kWh |
| May | 388 kWh | 474 kWh |
| Jun | 389 kWh | 485 kWh |
| Jul | 386 kWh | 520 kWh |
| Aug | 350 kWh | 496 kWh |
| Sep | 311 kWh | 423 kWh |
| Oct | 228 kWh | 347 kWh |
| Nov | 139 kWh | 266 kWh |
| Dec | 107 kWh | 253 kWh |
In Marseille the best month produces 2.1 times as much as the weakest; in Lille, 3.6 times. Winter therefore weighs far more in the north, which matters for a household heated by electricity: its usage is high precisely when output is low (self-consumption).
How much do you lose with your roof’s facing?
Output vs due south at 35°
81 %
| Loss (or gain) | −19 % |
| For 3 kWp in Paris | 2,776 kWh |
Factors calculated with PVGIS 5.3 for seven reference cities.
How we calculate output
We queried PVGIS on a grid of points 0.2 degrees apart covering mainland France; each commune in the official commune database takes the value interpolated between the four grid points around its centre. The settings are the same everywhere: crystalline silicon modules, 35° due south, 14% losses (cables, inverter, dust, temperature). The calculator starts from your commune’s value, then applies the facing and tilt you choose.
From one year to the next
The published values are averages over 2005-2023: a real year can differ by a few per cent, up or down, depending on the weather. Modules also lose a little efficiency as they age, which manufacturers state on the datasheet and which our calculation does not include. Judge your system over several years, and compare it first with the output expected for the same month.