Purpose In 2012–2013, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in women visiting a general practitioner for urinary tract infection (UTI), to estimate the annual incidence of UTIs due to antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli (E. coli). Methods A sampling design (stratification, stages and sampling weights) was taken into account in all analyses. Urine analyses were performed for each woman and centralised in one laboratory. Results Among 538 included women, urine culture confirmed UTI in 75.2 % of cases. E. coli represented 82.8 % of species. Among E. coli, resistance (I + R) was most common to amoxicillin [38 % (95 % confidence interval 31.1–44.5)] and to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole [18.1 % (12.0–24.1)]. Resistance to ciprofloxacin and cefotaxime was lower [1.9 % in both cases, (0.3–3.5)], as it was for nitrofurantoin [0.4 (0–1.0)] and fosfomycin (0). Extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) represented 1.6 % of E. coli (0.2–2.9). Annual incidence rate of confirmed UTI was estimated at 2400 per 100,000 women (1800–3000). Incidence rates of UTI due to fluoroquinolone-resistant and ESBL-producing E. coli were estimated at 102 per 100,000 women (75–129) and at 32 (24–41), respectively. Conclusions ESBL had been found in a community population, and even though the rate was low, it represents a warning and confirms that surveillance should continue.