Water Hardness Map in France

Water hardness varies significantly across French departments. Hard water (rich in limescale) causes pipe scaling, reduces appliance efficiency, and increases energy consumption. Use our interactive tool to check the average water hardness in your department and get personalised recommendations.

In France, over 60% of households receive water classified as hard or very hard (above 25 °f). The most affected regions are the Paris Basin, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Provence, and Eastern France. The LIMPEO electromagnetic water descaler, manufactured by JAEGER SAS, effectively treats hard water without salt, chemicals, or maintenance.

Interactive Water Hardness Map

Soft water
Medium water
Hard water
Very hard water

Click a department to see details

10

Soft water

< 15 °f

22

Medium water

15–25 °f

60

Hard water

25–35 °f

2

Very hard water

> 35 °f

Search your department

Type the name or number of your department to check the average water hardness in your area.

94 departments

01
28 °f

Ain

Hard water

02
34 °f

Aisne

Hard water

03
18 °f

Allier

Medium water

04
30 °f

Alpes-de-Haute-Provence

Hard water

05
22 °f

Hautes-Alpes

Medium water

06
32 °f

Alpes-Maritimes

Hard water

07
20 °f

Ardèche

Medium water

08
30 °f

Ardennes

Hard water

09
16 °f

Ariège

Medium water

10
33 °f

Aube

Hard water

11
27 °f

Aude

Hard water

12
22 °f

Aveyron

Medium water

13
33 °f

Bouches-du-Rhône

Hard water

14
28 °f

Calvados

Hard water

15
8 °f

Cantal

Soft water

16
30 °f

Charente

Hard water

17
32 °f

Charente-Maritime

Hard water

18
27 °f

Cher

Hard water

19
10 °f

Corrèze

Soft water

21
30 °f

Côte-d'Or

Hard water

22
14 °f

Côtes-d'Armor

Soft water

23
8 °f

Creuse

Soft water

24
25 °f

Dordogne

Hard water

25
30 °f

Doubs

Hard water

26
28 °f

Drôme

Hard water

27
32 °f

Eure

Hard water

28
30 °f

Eure-et-Loir

Hard water

29
12 °f

Finistère

Soft water

30
32 °f

Gard

Hard water

31
28 °f

Haute-Garonne

Hard water

32
25 °f

Gers

Hard water

33
27 °f

Gironde

Hard water

34
35 °f

Hérault

Very hard water

35
18 °f

Ille-et-Vilaine

Medium water

36
25 °f

Indre

Hard water

37
24 °f

Indre-et-Loire

Medium water

38
27 °f

Isère

Hard water

39
32 °f

Jura

Hard water

40
18 °f

Landes

Medium water

41
25 °f

Loir-et-Cher

Hard water

42
20 °f

Loire

Medium water

43
12 °f

Haute-Loire

Soft water

44
20 °f

Loire-Atlantique

Medium water

45
28 °f

Loiret

Hard water

46
30 °f

Lot

Hard water

47
28 °f

Lot-et-Garonne

Hard water

48
10 °f

Lozère

Soft water

49
22 °f

Maine-et-Loire

Medium water

50
22 °f

Manche

Medium water

51
32 °f

Marne

Hard water

52
30 °f

Haute-Marne

Hard water

53
20 °f

Mayenne

Medium water

54
30 °f

Meurthe-et-Moselle

Hard water

55
32 °f

Meuse

Hard water

56
14 °f

Morbihan

Soft water

57
28 °f

Moselle

Hard water

58
18 °f

Nièvre

Medium water

59
33 °f

Nord

Hard water

60
32 °f

Oise

Hard water

61
24 °f

Orne

Medium water

62
35 °f

Pas-de-Calais

Very hard water

63
10 °f

Puy-de-Dôme

Soft water

64
18 °f

Pyrénées-Atlantiques

Medium water

65
15 °f

Hautes-Pyrénées

Medium water

66
26 °f

Pyrénées-Orientales

Hard water

67
28 °f

Bas-Rhin

Hard water

68
30 °f

Haut-Rhin

Hard water

69
27 °f

Rhône

Hard water

70
28 °f

Haute-Saône

Hard water

71
25 °f

Saône-et-Loire

Hard water

72
24 °f

Sarthe

Medium water

73
22 °f

Savoie

Medium water

74
25 °f

Haute-Savoie

Hard water

75
30 °f

Paris

Hard water

76
30 °f

Seine-Maritime

Hard water

77
32 °f

Seine-et-Marne

Hard water

78
30 °f

Yvelines

Hard water

79
28 °f

Deux-Sèvres

Hard water

80
34 °f

Somme

Hard water

81
22 °f

Tarn

Medium water

82
25 °f

Tarn-et-Garonne

Hard water

83
33 °f

Var

Hard water

84
32 °f

Vaucluse

Hard water

85
22 °f

Vendée

Medium water

86
27 °f

Vienne

Hard water

87
10 °f

Haute-Vienne

Soft water

88
20 °f

Vosges

Medium water

89
30 °f

Yonne

Hard water

90
28 °f

Territoire de Belfort

Hard water

91
30 °f

Essonne

Hard water

92
30 °f

Hauts-de-Seine

Hard water

93
30 °f

Seine-Saint-Denis

Hard water

94
30 °f

Val-de-Marne

Hard water

95
32 °f

Val-d'Oise

Hard water

Recommendations based on your water hardness

Water hardness is measured in French degrees (°f). 1 °f equals 10 mg of calcium carbonate per litre. Here are our recommendations based on your water hardness level:

Soft water (< 15 °f)

Your water is naturally soft. An anti-limescale device is not essential, but the LIMPEO can improve taste and provide preventive protection for your plumbing.

Medium water (15–25 °f)

Your water is starting to deposit limescale. A LIMPEO J-250 device is recommended to protect your pipes and household appliances.

Hard water (25–35 °f)

Limescale builds up rapidly in your plumbing. A LIMPEO J-250 or J-320 device is strongly recommended to reduce scaling and save up to 25% on your energy bills.

Very hard water (> 35 °f)

Your water is very hard: high risk of deposits, appliance breakdowns, and excessive energy consumption. A LIMPEO J-320 or J-630 is essential to protect your installation.

What is water hardness?

Water hardness, also called hydrometric title (TH), measures the concentration of dissolved calcium (Ca²⁺) and magnesium (Mg²⁺) ions in water. It is expressed in French degrees (°f): 1 °f corresponds to 10 mg/L of CaCO₃. Water below 15 °f is considered soft, between 15 and 25 °f as moderately hard, between 25 and 35 °f as hard, and above 35 °f as very hard. Hardness mainly depends on local geology: limestone soils (Paris Basin, Jura, Provence) produce hard water, while granitic soils (Massif Central, Brittany, Vosges) yield soft water.

Impact of limescale on your home

Hard water causes limescale accumulation in pipes, water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers. According to ADEME, 1 mm of limescale on a heating element increases energy consumption by 8 to 16%. Over 10 years, water at 30 °f can deposit up to 50 kg of limescale in your hot water system. The consequences include: reduced flow, boiler breakdowns, premature appliance replacement, dry skin, and dull hair after showering. The total annual cost of limescale for a French household is estimated between €300 and €800.

How LIMPEO treats limescale without chemicals

The LIMPEO electromagnetic descaler generates a pulsed magnetic field that modifies calcium carbonate crystallisation: instead of forming calcite (hard, adhesive crystals), calcium transforms into aragonite (fine, non-adhesive crystals). The result: limescale no longer deposits on surfaces and existing deposits gradually dissolve. This technology, validated by independent studies, requires no salt, no chemicals, and no maintenance. LIMPEO is manufactured in France by JAEGER SAS and backed by a 10-year warranty.

Frequently asked questions about water hardness

Protect your home from limescale

Discover the LIMPEO range: electromagnetic descaler with no salt, no chemicals, no maintenance. Made in France, 10-year warranty.