France isn’t the most privacy-friendly country either — it’s part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances (international intelligence-sharing agreements). Plus, local ISPs are required to store users’ data and share it when requested. My team and I tested over 75 VPNs to find the best ones for France to bypass geoblocks. They also provide exceptional speeds, so you can stream, game, and torrent without interruptions. Industry-leading encryption and strict no-logs policies protect your data from prying eyes, too. ExpressVPN is my top choice for France. It has ample lightning-fast servers (including servers in France) to help you access local and international content without buffering. Plus, it offers robust security and privacy tools to safeguard your browsing activity. You can try ExpressVPN for France risk-free, as it’s backed by a trustworthy 30-day money-back guarantee. Get the Best VPN for France Now Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free Today
The Best VPNs for France — Full Analysis (Updated in 2023)
All VPNs I selected have fast worldwide servers to stream your favorite shows in smooth UHD. They also provide robust security features and proven no-logs policies to safeguard your online privacy. This means you don’t have to worry about hackers or ISPs tracking your online activity. Each VPN on my list also works on popular operating systems and supports multiple simultaneous connections. Even better — you can try these services without risk, as they all offer trustworthy money-back guarantees.
1. ExpressVPN — Extensive Global Network to Bypass Geo-Restrictions in France and Worldwide
The lightning-fast speeds are ideal for bufferless streaming. There’s also unlimited bandwidth — great for lag-free online gaming. My average download speed was 85 Mbps while testing ExpressVPN’s Paris servers — UHD streaming requires only 25 Mbps. Thanks to the P2P-enabled network, the VPN is great for torrenting, too. The split tunneling feature lets you specify which apps use the VPN (you can safely torrent while using your regular IP for shopping on local websites). Your data is kept safe from hackers and monitoring with military-grade encryption — the same used by the NSA. The VPN offers several security protocols (including IKEv2/IPSec, Lightway, and OpenVPN). I prefer ExpressVPN’s proprietary Lightway protocol for a balance of security and speed. Plus, Perfect Forward Secrecy regularly changes your encryption keys, making it even more difficult for snoops to intercept your information. Plus, the Network Lock (a kill switch) automatically cuts your internet traffic if you get disconnected from the VPN to prevent data exposure. However, the VPN connection didn’t fail during my tests. ExpressVPN is also headquartered in the privacy-friendly British Virgin Islands, outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances — intelligence-sharing pacts France is a part of. For additional privacy, you can purchase your subscription using Bitcoin. Thanks to an audited no-logs policy your personally identifiable data can’t be shared. The only information ExpressVPN stores are connection dates, used servers, and the size of transferred data. Additionally, RAM-only servers (TrustedServer tech) erase any data with every reboot. I also didn’t detect any IP/DNS leaks during my tests, which means my real location wasn’t revealed. ExpressVPN runs its own Private DNS, so third parties can’t see your browsing activity either. The subscriptions are quite expensive, starting at $6.67/month. Luckily, ExpressVPN regularly offers generous discounts. When I signed up, I got 49% off my 12-month plan and 3 extra months of free service. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can easily get a refund if the VPN doesn’t meet your needs. After a few weeks, I requested a refund via live chat to test this policy. My conversation with the support agent was very brief, and only 3 days later my money was returned to my bank account. Try ExpressVPN Today
2. CyberGhost — Ultra-Fast Servers to Stream French and International Content Without Interruptions
CyberGhost is an excellent service for buffer-free 4K streaming — I averaged 77 Mbps while connected to nearby servers in Paris and Strasbourg. The VPN offers plenty of P2P-optimized servers for reliable and fast torrenting too. It also has uncapped bandwidth, so you can download files, stream, and play online games without limitations. Your traffic is safeguarded with AES 256-bit encryption and robust protocols (including mobile-friendly IKEv2, fast and secure WireGuard, and the most secure OpenVPN). Like ExpressVPN, CyberGhost has a Perfect Forward Secrecy feature for extra protection against cyber threats. Plus, you can prevent accidental data exposure with a kill switch. I safely browsed on unsecured public networks, thanks to the automatic WiFi protection feature. The VPN is also equipped with the built-in ad and malware blocker — it’s handy for sites like Le Monde that are full of ads. When I enabled it, I stopped seeing the annoying pop-ups. This VPN is located in privacy-friendly Romania (outside the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances) and has a strict no-logs policy. CyberGhost also passed all of my IP/DNS leak tests, so your confidential data remains private. For an extra layer of privacy, you can pay a small additional fee for dedicated NoSpy servers managed solely by the provider’s employees. It took me only 5 minutes to download and set up CyberGhost on my PC (even less on my Android smartphone). The desktop and mobile apps are easy to use with their straightforward interface and French language support. There’s also an extensive knowledge base with step-by-step tutorials on the VPN website. Plus, you can ask support for help via email or 24/7 live chat should you have any queries. Short-term subscriptions are expensive and come with a limited 14-day refund policy. On the other hand, CyberGhost’s long-term plans are very affordable, starting at only $2.11/month. They also come with an extended refund period. I recommend choosing the 3-year plan for the best value for money. A 45-day money-back guarantee lets you test CyberGhost for free. Reclaiming your refund is hassle-free — I conveniently canceled my subscription by sending an email. The entire sum was back on my card in just 4 days. Try CyberGhost Today
3. Private Internet Access (PIA) — Robust Security Features for Your Data Protection in and Out of France
Private Internet Access gives you a choice of encryption and protocols for enhanced online safety. I use the highly secure AES 256-bit for online shopping, while AES 128-bit with Blowfish CBC provides better torrenting speeds (and it’s secure as well). You can also choose the security protocol, like WireGuard or OpenVPN. Plus, a MACE ad blocker prevents pop-ups on websites when enabled. Thanks to a proven zero-logs policy, your sensitive data is safe from prying eyes. The VPN manages its own private server network, eliminating any third-party interference. Plus, its IP cloaking hides your real IP address and replaces it with another one. I ran several IP/DNS leak tests on PIA’s French servers and nothing was exposed. There’s also an automatic kill switch for extra protection of your private information. Although PIA isn’t as fast as CyberGhost, the VPN is still fast enough for streaming and gaming. I clocked at 65 Mbps on servers in France. Even the long-distance servers in the US didn’t reduce my speed dramatically (it didn’t fall below 40 Mbps). Torrenting isn’t a problem either, because the VPN offers P2P traffic support and doesn’t cap your bandwidth. Beginners might find PIA apps pretty complex due to a wide variety of customization options. However, they come pre-configured, so you don’t have to change any settings yourself. Plus, there are guides on PIA’s website and support via 24/7 live chat if you need help. The apps are even available in French. You can subscribe to PIA for just $2.03/month. I picked a 2-year plan, which comes with the same features as the short-term options, but it’s more budget-friendly. There’s also a 30-day money-back guarantee, so getting a refund is very straightforward if you’re not 100% happy with the service. I just turned off auto-renewal via my online account, and sent a refund request using the support form (available on the website). My money was back in my PayPal account 5 days later. Try Private Internet Access Today
4. IPVanish — Unlimited Simultaneous Connections to Conveniently Cover All Your Devices in France and Beyond
I unblocked my accounts like Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ while in France, trouble-free. So, you can still watch The Great British Sewing Bee despite geoblocks. You can also use servers in France to watch local content on services like BFMTV, Eurosport, or France 3. My average download speed was 55 Mbps on the French servers. This is more than enough for high-bandwidth activities like streaming, gaming, and video calling. It’s great for unrestricted torrenting too, thanks to P2P support and no data caps. IPVanish protects your data with AES 256-bit encryption and Perfect Forward Secrecy. Plus, there are advanced security protocols (including OpenVPN, IPSec, and WireGuard) and an automatic kill switch. You can also use OpenVPN Scramble to bypass strict geoblocks. There’s even a Tor/Onion over VPN feature if you want to access Tor securely. The VPN is serious about protecting your privacy with a strict zero-logs policy, meaning it doesn’t collect your logs (except when you register for the first time). The provider also owns and manages its servers, so third parties can’t tamper with your data. Plus, I didn’t detect any IP/DNS/WebRTC leaks on the French and US servers I tested. Unfortunately, the VPN doesn’t support cryptocurrency payments. But you can use other major payment options (including credit cards, PayPal, Google Pay, and iTunes). IPVanish’s most affordable subscription starts at $2.49/month. I found the same features (including 24/7 live chat support) for all plans, so I picked the year-long subscription as it saves you the most in the long run. You can try IPVanish for free as it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee. I requested a refund via the website’s dashboard, and my credit card was reimbursed after 6 days. Try IPVanish Today
5. PrivateVPN — Network-Wide P2P Support for Reliable Torrenting on French and International Servers
Torrenting is reliable and fast with PrivateVPN’s P2P-supported network. Unlimited bandwidth allows you to download as much as you want. Plus, you can configure port forwarding and SOCKS5 proxy to boost your speeds. I downloaded a 1 GB file in under 4 minutes while testing PrivateVPN French servers. What’s more, the average download speed of 47 Mbps is great for UHD streaming and multiplayer gaming. I chatted with the support via live chat at various times throughout the day to test their responsiveness, and each time I received an almost immediate reply. You can even request free remote VPN installation (for Windows, Mac, and Linux). Plus, all apps (except browser extensions) are available in French. The VPN is headquartered in Sweden — a part of the 5/9/14 Eyes Alliances. However, your data can’t be shared with anyone thanks to a solid no-logs policy. PrivateVPN also provides AES 256-bit encryption, Perfect Forward Secrecy, and a kill switch. Moreover, you can disguise your VPN traffic as a regular internet connection with Stealth VPN (obfuscation) features. Finally, I verified there are no IP/DNS/WebRTC leaks on the French servers I tested. Subscriptions are reasonably priced, starting at $2/month. I recommend the 3-year plan over monthly subscriptions, as they cost more and don’t come with any additional benefits. If the VPN doesn’t suit you, getting a refund is trouble-free thanks to a 30-day money-back guarantee. I asked the support via live chat to cancel my subscription and received the money on my Visa card a week later. Try PrivateVPN Today
Tips on How to Choose the Best VPN for France
All of the listed VPNs offer global server networks, fast speeds, and advanced security features. However, if you prefer to do your own research, you can use my checklist below:
Global server network (including France) — Pick a VPN with worldwide servers to access international and local platforms (like Netflix US, M6, and YouTube) wherever you are. Fast connection speeds — Ultra-fast speeds and unrestricted bandwidth let you enjoy buffer-free UHD streaming and torrenting without slowdowns. High-grade security and privacy features — Choose a VPN with AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and a no-logs policy to safeguard your personal information from ISPs, hackers, and snoops. Easy to use apps — Look for a VPN with intuitive apps for major operating systems that allows multiple simultaneous connections. It’s good to have reliable live chat support, too. Trustworthy money-back guarantee — Make sure the VPN lets you easily get a refund if the service isn’t right for you.
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Is it legal to use a VPN for France?
Yes, VPNs are legal in most countries — as long as you use them for legitimate purposes. Their main purpose is to protect your online activity, so you can try a VPN with robust security features. However, some countries (like China, Russia, and Belarus) restrict or ban VPN use. It’s a good idea to check local laws beforehand as they can change.
Which VPNs for France should I avoid?
It’s better to avoid some of the services listed below. These are likely to have weak security and vague privacy policies. When you’re in France, it’s a better alternative to try a secure VPN with advanced encryption and a solid no-logs policy. The following services are best avoided for security reasons:
Hola — It’s not a VPN but a P2P network that allows other people to use your IP address. This means you can get in trouble for things someone else did under your IP address. EasyVPN — This VPN can drive you mad with annoying pop-up ads in other apps and has been caught leaking users’ data. Archie VPN — One of the most malware-infected apps for Android. If you value your security and privacy, it’s better to avoid it at all costs. SuperVPN — Has vague privacy policies, stores your web data, and is overflowing with ads. Betternet VPN — Lacks basic security features, a no-logs policy, and leak protection.
Can I watch French TV with a VPN?
Yes, if you use a VPN with servers in France. With a French IP address, you can access your M6 and France 3 accounts anywhere. Simply launch your VPN and connect to a local server. This allows you to watch Ligue 1 no matter where you are.
Why should I use a VPN for France?
VPNs let you access your favorite content from anywhere. Reliable VPNs with vast global networks can bypass geo-restrictions for international streaming platforms (like your Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and Disney+ accounts). Plus, a VPN with servers in France provides you with a local IP address to access French content anywhere, such as TF1, Arte, and Eurosport. Additionally, a VPN protects you from hackers and scammers (especially on public WiFi networks where you’re vulnerable). It encrypts your connection, preventing anyone from intercepting your private information. What’s more, providers with trustworthy no-logs policies don’t share your personal data with ISPs, advertisers, or other third parties.
Can I use a free VPN for France?
Yes, but most free VPNs don’t keep you safe online. Free VPNs usually lack advanced encryption and no-logs policies. They also tend to track your activities and share your data with third parties. It’s better to use a VPN with a trustworthy money-back guarantee. Plus, free VPNs usually have small server networks and limited speeds. That’s how they force you to upgrade to their paid plans if you want to stream your favorite shows without buffering. Some of these services turn out to be proxy services without any means to protect your data. Even worse, they can bombard you with ads or contain malware in their apps. Try ExpressVPN for France Now
The Bottom Line
A reliable VPN with a vast server network lets you access local and global content in France and abroad. The best ones also offer fast speeds for buffer-free UHD streaming. Additionally, a VPN protects your personal information with strong security and privacy features. ExpressVPN is my top pick for France. It has ultra-fast worldwide (and French) servers to access the content you need without interruptions. Additionally, it offers top-class encryption, robust privacy features, and a proven no-logs policy. On top of that, you can try ExpressVPN for France risk-free — it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee.
To summarize, here are the best VPNs for France
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