Though many VPNs have French servers, most offer very limited security features and are characterized by data caps or slow speeds. To save you time, I tested over 80 services and shortlisted the best VPNs for getting a France IP address. ExpressVPN came out on top with lightning-fast speeds on every French server and instantly unblocked Canal+, Molotov TV, and other popular local websites. Plus, it’s backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can buy ExpressVPN in confidence. Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN
Quick Guide: 3 Easy Steps to Get an IP Address in France
Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN
The Best VPNs to Get a France IP Address (Tested in 2023)
1. ExpressVPN — Fastest Speeds for Instant Access to French Websites From Anywhere
Key Features: ExpressVPN’s ultra-fast speeds make it a top choice for quick unblocking of French websites from abroad. The VPN provided me with extremely fast speeds on every server I chose, including locations in France, Germany, the US, and Australia. My traffic was only 10-15% slower than usual, which is a minimal difference that’s difficult to find with other VPNs. This means you can watch any show on Netflix France, France 2, France 3, Molotov TV, and other websites in the highest resolution available. As ExpressVPN’s speeds are so fast, you can make the most of your France IP address by streaming, torrenting, and gaming at the same time without issues. Since your speeds won’t differ much from your original traffic, you’ll be able to avoid extended buffering, loading times, or higher pixelation when you multitask. When I tested it on my local sites, I enjoyed lag-less streams while my copyright-free torrents downloaded within just 20-30 minutes! Alongside the AES-256 bit encryption, ExpressVPN secures your French connection with IPv6 and DNS leak protection, and a kill switch. I ran multiple tests on all 4 servers in France and found none of them revealed my data. The kill switch also paused my connection whenever I swapped to a different connection, preventing any additional leaks. My favorite feature was the ability to add shortcuts to French websites directly in ExpressVPN’s app. This lets you access local websites much faster as you can open them straight after getting a France IP address, which is helpful if you’re in a rush. You can download ExpressVPN on most operating systems to get a France IP address on any device, including gaming consoles. The VPN also has browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox that work just as well as the app. With a range of outstanding features, this makes ExpressVPN one of the best VPNs for Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, Smart TVs, and more. Unlike other VPNs, ExpressVPN offers a separate app for routers that lets you manage your network connection much easier with step-by-step instructions on its site. My tests showed it’s the top VPN for France, but it’s best to try ExpressVPN’s French servers for yourself risk-free. If you don’t like it, you can get a refund within 30 days. The ExpressVPN live chat agent I spoke to didn’t try to convince me to stay and processed my request in 2 minutes. I received the money back just 4 days later. Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN
2. CyberGhost — Large Server Network in France With Streaming-Optimized Connections
Key Features: CyberGhost takes the guesswork out of using a VPN as it sorts hundreds of its French servers into appropriate categories, including “Streaming,” “Gaming,” and “Torrenting”. The streaming servers are also labeled with a platform they specifically work with, making it super easy to always find the perfect server for what you need. The extensive network of French servers also makes it easy to avoid slow connections overloaded with users. I tried 150+ servers over the weekend (when VPNs usually experience the highest user load). Every CyberGhost connection in France gave me reliable speeds that never slowed down, regardless of how long I used the VPN. My speeds were also only 23% slower than my local WiFi, so I didn’t experience disruptions while browsing, streaming, or torrenting. If you’re new to VPNs, you’ll be happy to hear that all of CyberGhost’s servers are configured for fast and secure connections. You get military-grade encryption, a kill switch, and DNS leak protection every time you connect without changing any settings. CyberGhost also has a strict no-logs policy that’s been audited, and regularly releases its own transparency reports. The best thing is that you can use CyberGhost to get a France IP address for free with its 45-day money-back guarantee. As it also offers “no questions asked” refunds, you won’t be pressured to share why you don’t want to keep your subscription. I connected to a live chat agent in 10 seconds, and he approved my request as soon as I confirmed my email and full name. I got the money in my bank account within 5 days. Get a France IP address with CyberGhost
3. Private Internet Access — Customizable Security on French Servers for Faster Speeds or Better Security
Key Features: Unlike its competitors, Private Internet Access (PIA) lets you alter your security settings on its servers to satisfy all your needs. During testing, I first dropped my encryption to 128-bit, which improved my speeds on every French server. This was useful for decreasing loading times and removing buffering. On the other hand, selecting the 256-bit encryption boosted my online security by making my traffic virtually impenetrable — which is perfect for anonymous torrenting. PIA offers 2 VPN protocols on all servers in France. OpenVPN is the default option, but I swapped to WireGuard protocol to make the most of my France IP address with its fast speeds and improved security. It’s a more all-around option that caters to streaming and torrenting fans as you don’t have to give up on speeds in favor of security and vice versa. The customization may seem intimidating, but PIA’s default settings also help you be safe online and access your usual French websites. That means you can connect to a French server as soon as you install the app without changing anything! If you don’t want a separate app, PIA has browser plugins with the same protection on French servers as a regular VPN. With 1 server in Paris, the extensions gave me equally fast speeds as connecting to PIA’s app. My details were secured with full encryption, alongside a built-in tracker and cookie blocker. PIA’s browser extension also unblocks Netflix, Molotov TV, France 24, and other local sites. Out of all VPNs on the list, PIA is the most affordable option at just $2.11 per month when you subscribe to the 2-year + 3 months plan. Regardless of which offer you select, you’ll be able to use PIA to get a France IP address for free for up to 30 days. I reached out to PIA’s customer support and, after answering a few questions about why I was canceling, a VPN agent approved my request. I had the money back after 5 days. Get a France IP address with PIA
4. NordVPN — Premium VPN With Cheap Prices for Long-Term Access to French Servers
Key Features: NordVPN is one of the best VPNs for accessing local French content — and you can get super cheap prices when you sign up for a long-term subscription. One thing to note, however, is that when it’s time to renew your subscription, prices do increase quite significantly. I was particularly impressed with the high performance of every server I tested. Just because a VPN has thousands of servers doesn’t mean they all work. Servers can still struggle to unblock local sites — and some can even fail to connect completely. However, I easily accessed local French shows like Plus belle la vie and Le bureau des légendes. I did, however, have issues with using NordVPN’s native Fire TV app. Although it worked and unblocked some streaming services, it sometimes had issues unblocking Netflix US and kept crashing. I also found that NordVPN’s user interface for desktop devices was less user-friendly than ExpressVPN and CyberGhost. NordVPN has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption A kill switch that cuts your internet access if your connection to a VPN server drops suddenly Built-in ad and malware blocker, so you don’t need a third-party ad blocker Fully audited no-logs policy (audited by PwC) – NordVPN doesn’t store any personal or identifying data while you’re connected to the VPN
In addition, NordVPN includes Threat Protection that protects you from viruses, infected websites, and trackers – and it works whenever you have the NordVPN app open, even if you’re not connected to a VPN server. With plans that cost as little as $3.49 per month, it’s easy to find a NordVPN subscription plan that suits your needs. You can also stream, torrent, and browse for free for up to 30 days with its money-back guarantee. I tested this to ensure that you’ll really get your money back. At first, the support team tried to give me an extended trial period — but they initiated my refund right away after I told them I wasn’t interested in the extension. I got my money back in 6 business days. Get NordVPN today NordVPN works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Chromebook, Linux, Chrome, Firefox, Fire Stick, and Android TV
5. Surfshark — Best Value for Money with Unlimited Device Connections and Fast Speeds on France Servers
Key Features: Surfshark offers the best value for money out of every premium VPN on the market. You can connect an unlimited number of devices with a single subscription, which means you can use Surfshark on all your devices without getting logged out. I tested Surfshark’s simultaneous connections on 2 PCs, 2 phones, a Fire Stick 4K, and an iPad. My connection remained reliable on all 6 devices. Even while I was actively streaming on all my devices, my average speed was 112 Mbps — fast enough for UHD quality. When I saw the price of this service, I thought it couldn’t possibly have top-grade security features for such a low price, but I was pleasantly surprised. Surfshark has the following security and privacy features:
AES 256-bit encryption on all devices, with ChaCha encryption available for Android users Wireguard VPN protocol enabled by default Diskless, RAM-only servers to protect your privacy (no data can be physically extracted from any servers) Kill switch (although this isn’t enabled by default) IP and DNS leak protection
Surfshark offers two-factor authentication (2FA) on your account. This feature requires you to enter an extra code before you can log in to ensure that only you can access your account. While Surfshark does have slightly fewer global servers than rivals such as CyberGhost and PIA, I didn’t experience any issues finding France IP addresses. I easily connected fast working servers every time, and I had excellent speeds for streaming Netflix in UHD, downloading torrents, and browsing the internet.
You can try Surfshark for yourself with the 30-day money-back guarantee. It has plans that cost as little as $2.39. Requesting a refund is easy with Surfshark’s live chat feature. Although the support team asked why I wanted to cancel my subscription, I had no problem getting my money back (and it only took 4 days!). Get Surfshark today Surfshark works on: Windows, Mac OS, Android, iOS, Linux, Fire Stick, Samsung Smart TVs, LG Smart TVs, Android TV, Kodi, and selected routers
6. IPVanish — Most Simultaneous Connections to Get a France IP Address on All of Your Devices
Key Features: IPVanish lets you get a France IP address on all of your devices by allowing unlimited simultaneous connections on a single account. Connecting multiple devices doesn’t slow down your traffic, so you won’t have to give up on HD streaming quality or fast browsing at any point. I tested this by connecting 9 devices to a French server at the same time. I didn’t notice sudden slowdowns on any device, even when playing online games or torrenting. To make the most of unlimited connections, you can use IPVanish to open France 24, Le Monde Diplomatique, RFI, Netflix French, Canal+, and other French sites. When I tested IPVanish, I found it loads streaming content after just 7 seconds of initial buffering too! Plus, with reliably fast speeds, IPVanish effectively prevents buffering when streaming French content. I discovered that IPVanish makes your safety a priority with 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and IPv6 and DNS leak protection. None of my French server connections revealed my location or server details, keeping me completely anonymous online. If you don’t want to give up torrenting, IPVanish offers a torrenting-friendly SOCKS5 proxy for faster downloads on French servers. The proxy connects to a server in Paris directly through your BitTorrent client. This creates a separate connection between your device and seeders, which speeds up downloads. Just remember the proxy doesn’t provide the same encrypted protection as the VPN — so use it only to browse through legitimate torrenting sites. Don’t just take my word for it, though. You can try IPVanish’s French servers for free with its 30-day money-back guarantee. I easily canceled my subscription through my account settings, which automatically prompted IPVanish to issue a full refund. I noticed the full fee on my bank statement that same week. Get a France IP address with IPVanish
How Does a VPN Get a France IP Address?
A VPN has an independent server network in France (and worldwide) with a whole database of local IP addresses. When you connect to it, the VPN reroutes your traffic through a server in France and automatically assigns your device a France IP address. At the same time, it hides your current location by wrapping your connection in layers of encryption to stop French websites from seeing where you are. This presents you as a regular French user, so you’ll have no problems accessing your local accounts when you travel. Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN
Research Methodology: How I Tested the Best VPNs for a France IP Address
The last thing you need is a VPN that doesn’t work properly, so I tested over 80 VPNs (including the best VPNs on the market) against very strict criteria: Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN Get a France IP address with ExpressVPN If the horrific experience wasn’t bad enough, free VPNs tend to lie about their security and privacy features to encourage you to subscribe. Aside from weak to no encryption and faulty leak protection, dozens of free VPNs log your data to sell it to advertisers, government agencies, or even hackers. This puts you at risk of scams, phishing, and identity theft. I recommend you use CyberGhost to get a France IP address for free for 45 days. That way, you won’t risk your online security or compromise your experience. Just remember to ask for a refund before the money-back period ends. I requested mine through the 24/7 live chat, and the CyberGhost agent approved it within 30 seconds without trying to change my mind. I received the refund that same week!
VPNs are also legal in most countries worldwide, with a few exceptions like China, Iraq, and Belarus. This means you won’t get in trouble if you use one to get a France IP address when you’re abroad. However, you should still research local laws just to make sure you’re not at any legal risk. Web proxies also don’t offer the same protection and anonymity as VPNs. Since they work only in browsers, connecting to a proxy server doesn’t protect all of your web traffic like a VPN would. This leaves a part of your connection vulnerable to hackers as they can still intercept it and infect your device with various types of malware. When you get a France IP address with a VPN, your connection goes through an invisible tunnel that makes you fully anonymous online. It automatically encrypts your whole traffic too, so you don’t need to set up a new connection whenever you want to change websites. If you can still see a different country, disconnect from the VPN server and clear your cookies and cache. Make sure your VPN app is up to date by checking for a small notification bar prompting you to install a new version. Finally, connect to a French server and recheck your IP address — it always works for me.
Start Browsing the Internet in France With a VPN
The only guaranteed way to get a France IP address is to download a VPN with servers in France. A top-tier VPN effectively hides where you’re connecting from, so you’ll easily access your favorite French sites from anywhere. As not all VPNs are worth getting, I put 83+ services to the test to save you time and make sure you can always browse the internet in France. Based on the results, I shortlisted the top VPNs with outstanding reliability, speeds, unblocking technologies, and security on every French server. ExpressVPN is the top choice for France as it instantly unblocks local websites, prevents lags while streaming and gaming, and allows for safe torrenting. I had ultra-fast speeds on each server I tried and never found any IP or DNS leaks — so my connection was always anonymous. Plus, you can use ExpressVPN to get a France IP address completely risk-free for 30 days. If you don’t like it, it’s easy to get a refund.
