Cancelling a subscription in France: online or by letter

Signing up takes two clicks, and cancelling can take three weeks. Internet, a gym, a magazine, an online service: French law has changed a lot in recent years, and most cancellations have become simpler. There are still cases where a letter is the best way out.

First, read the contract

Three things matter before you write anything.

• The minimum term (durée d'engagement). A subscription with no minimum term can be cancelled at any time. With a 12- or 24-month commitment, leaving early can cost something.
• The préavis (notice period). The time between your request and the actual end of the contract. It is written in the terms and conditions (conditions générales).
• Automatic renewal (reconduction tacite). Many contracts renew themselves on their anniversary date. That date is often when you can leave at no cost.

The cancellation button

Since 1 June 2023, a contract that can be taken out online must also be cancellable online, simply and free of charge (article L215-1-1 of the French Consumer Code, Code de la consommation). This is the “three-click cancellation” (résiliation en trois clics): an easy-to-find feature in your customer account or on the website, which sends you a confirmation of your request.

When the button exists, it's often the fastest route. Keep the confirmation email: it dates your request.

The loi Chatel and automatic renewal

For a service contract that renews automatically, the business must remind you in writing, between three months and one month before the deadline, that you can refuse the renewal (article L215-1 of the Consumer Code, known as the loi Chatel). If it doesn't, you can cancel free of charge at any time from the renewal date.

This is useful for gyms or annual subscriptions that renew “without warning”: check whether you received that reminder.

Phone and internet

For a mobile plan or home internet, cancellation takes effect no later than ten days after the operator receives the request, unless you ask for a later date (article L224-39 of the Consumer Code). If you switch operator and keep your number, the new operator takes care of cancelling the old contract.

With a commitment of more than twelve months, you can leave from the thirteenth month by paying at most a quarter of what was left to pay until the end of the commitment (article L224-28).

When to send a letter

The button doesn't solve everything. A letter is still the right choice when:

• the contract was signed in a shop, and nothing is offered online;
• the button can't be found, doesn't work, or leads to an “advisor” who never cancels anything;
• the terms and conditions require a written request;
• you want solid proof of the date, because a notice period or a deadline is coming up.

A lettre recommandée avec avis de réception (registered letter with proof of receipt) isn't always required, but it is the best proof of the date of receipt. A tracked letter, from €4.38, only proves that it was put in the mailbox. The details are in ordinary, tracked or registered letter.

What the letter should say

1. Your name, address, and customer or contract number.
2. One clear sentence: “je vous informe de ma décision de résilier mon contrat” (I am informing you of my decision to cancel my contract).
3. The legal basis if you have one: renewal date, loi Chatel, end of the minimum term.
4. The date you want the cancellation to take effect, or “dans les meilleurs délais” (as soon as possible).
5. A request to stop the direct debits and, if needed, to tell you how to return any equipment.
6. The date and your signature.

The letter should be in French. You don't need to justify yourself or write at length. The free cancellation letter tool writes it live from these fields, and you can print it or send it by registered mail without going to the post office.

With an AI assistant

If you use ChatGPT or Claude, you can also describe the situation and give it the contract: it finds the renewal date and the notice clause, and writes the letter in French. With Cachet connected, it shows you the exact preview and the price, then sends it by registered mail with proof of receipt once you approve, and tracks the delivery. The step-by-step is in have ChatGPT or Claude send a postal letter.

Frequently asked questions