Best VPN for France: How to Get a French IP Address in 2024

Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN is the best France VPN. It has French IP addresses in Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille and Alsace for accessing French content like Qobuz. These servers are part of a larger network of more than 3,000 servers in 105 countries.

The VPN is equipped with a unique technology called TrustedServer that runs entirely on volatile memory (RAM server), which wipes everything whenever a server resets.

Furthermore, ExpressVPN has fast connection speeds and regularly tops our fastest VPN list. Through the unique Lightway protocol, you can stream without buffering and download files at very fast speeds. If ExpressVPN isn’t your preferred choice, don’t worry; we have five more alternatives that are just as capable. 

How to Choose the Best France VPN

We prioritized four VPN features when selecting the six best VPNs for France from a pool of more than 30 that we tested.

• Unblocking capabilities: The VPN should have a large global server network, including in France, to unblock geo-restricted content anywhere. All six VPNs on our list have large server networks that include French IP addresses.
• User security & privacy: The ideal French VPN must protect users from government surveillance. It should have military-grade encryption, IP leak protection and a strict no-logs policy that wipes your browsing data so it never falls into the wrong hands.
• Fast speeds: Most people needing a French VPN want it for unrestricted streaming, gaming or downloading. These activities require the fastest speeds possible without lags.
• Platform support: A VPN should be compatible with smartphones, tablets, PCs, smart TVs and routers. Connecting multiple devices simultaneously is another important feature we considered in our testing.

The justice reform bill French lawmakers passed in July 2023 grants the Gendarmerie and other security forces the power to obtain people’s geolocations through their smart devices. We can’t stress enough how important it is to use a VPN in France.

The 6 Best VPNs for France: Comparison Table

VPN:	Price	Frenc Servers	Unblocks Netflix	No-logs policy	Speed	Security
	$6.67/month	4			92 Mbps	AES-256
	$3.79/month	260+			94 Mbps	AES-256 ChaCha20
	$1.99/month	70+			93 Mbps	AES-256-GCM
	$4.99/month	125			27 Mbps	ChaCha20 AES-256-GCM Diffie-Hellman
	$2.03/month	938			81 Mbps	AES-256
	$1.98/month	1			94 Mbps	ChaCha20 AES-128-GCM

Every VPN on our list was subjected to several tests to ensure it was the right fit for users in France. This included speed tests, hands-on testing for usability and a detailed investigation of key features. Let’s see how they turned out.

1. ExpressVPN — Best France VPN Overall

www.expressvpn.com

$6.66 / month

(save 48%) (All Plans)

Visit ExpressVPNReview

Download

92 Mbps
Very Fast

Upload

9 Mbps
Very Fast

Latency

5 ms
Very Fast

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

ExpressVPN has France IP addresses in Paris, Strasbourg and Marseille that give you unrestricted access to French channels like Canal+ or Molotov TV. More than 3,000 servers in 105 countries can unblock multiple platforms like SlingTV or BBC iPlayer from France.

ExpressVPN’s independently audited TrustedServer technology resets its servers every hour, wiping everything clean. This ensures that the French government gets nothing on you, even if it comes with a court order — you can read more about that in our ExpressVPN review.

ExpressVPN Hands-On Testing

ExpressVPN is compatible with Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux and other devices. You can connect up to eight simultaneous devices if you’re on the 12-month plan and even more if you use an ExpressVPN router. The servers are easy to find; you can use the search function to locate French servers.

Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Speed Test Results

Download Speed (Higher is better)

Upload Speed (Higher is better)

Latency (Lower is better)

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data averaged from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

ExpressVPN clocked 92 Mbps, an 8% speed drop from our unprotected speed of 100 Mbps. That handled Canal+ programs very smoothly at 1080p through a Paris IP address. We recommend switching to the Lightway protocol for the best speeds.

Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: ExpressVPN Security Analysis

ExpressVPN passed our encryption and DNS leak testing. We didn’t see our actual IP address or the name of our ISP anywhere. Here’s a guide on how to test for DNS leaks on your own.

ExpressVPN Pricing & Value

ExpressVPN’s best deal is the 15-month plan, which costs $6.66 per month. There’s a six-month plan that costs $9.99 per month, followed by the monthly plan for $12.95 per month. All plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

ExpressVPN Plans

• Unlimited GB
• 8
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan, 6-months plan

1-month plan

$12.95/month

6-months plan

$9.99/month

$59.94 billed every 6 month

Save 22%

15-months plan

$6.66/month

$99.95 billed first 15 months and 12 months thereafter

Save 48%

2. NordVPN — Best Secure VPN for France

www.nordvpn.com

$3.19 / month

(save 75%) (All Plans)

Visit NordVPNReview

Download

94 Mbps
Very Fast

Upload

9 Mbps
Very Fast

Latency

5 ms
Very Fast

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

NordVPN offers more than 5,900 servers in 60+ countries, including 260 servers in Marseille and Paris. All NordVPN servers are RAM-based, so they don’t log any of your online activities, wiping the slate clean when the server resets. 

We successfully accessed Canal VOD with our first attempt using a Marseille server to stream a gripping TV show called ‘Marseille.’ We also unblocked SlingTV with a New York server. NordVPN offers dedicated IP addresses. However, getting one costs an extra $3.69/month on top of your regular subscription. We break that down in more detail in our list of the best VPNs with dedicated IP.

NordVPN Hands-On Testing

NordVPN has an amazing user interface with a very detailed server list across all apps. It even provides the exact number of servers for France and other locations. The VPN is compatible with Android, iOS, Linux, Windows, macOS, and other devices. You can connect up to six devices simultaneously. 

Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Speed Test Results

Download Speed (Higher is better)

Upload Speed (Higher is better)

Latency (Lower is better)

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data averaged from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

NordVPN was the fastest VPN in our tests, along with Private Internet Access, averaging 94 Mbps on our 100 Mbps unprotected speed — a 6% speed drop. Buffering won’t be a problem, as we explain in our NordVPN review.

Notes From the Lab: NordVPN Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: NordVPNSecurity Analysis

The publicly displayed IP addresses we saw after our DNS leak test were all from France, indicating that there are no IP leaks with NordVPN.

There’s a kill switch that disconnects the internet when the VPN is disrupted. The security feature that makes NordVPN our most secure choice is the double VPN, which is perfect for French journalists and activists. There’s also “threat protection,” a cybersecurity tool that blocks trackers and detects websites and apps that pose a malware risk.

NordVPN Pricing & Value

The NordVPN Standard plan is the most affordable. The two-year version offers the best deal at $3.19 per month plus an extra three months. The 12-month version costs $4.99 per month, and the monthly plan goes for $12.99 per month. All the plans offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.

30-days money-back guarantee

Standard

• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$12.99/month

1-year plan

$4.99/month

$59.88 billed every year

Save 61%

2-year plan + 3 month

$3.19/month

$86.13 billed every 2 years

Save 75%

Plus

• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$13.79/month

1-year plan

$5.79/month

$69.48 billed every year

Save 58%

2-year plan + 3 month

$3.99/month

$107.73 billed every 2 years

Save 71%

Complete

• Unlimited GB
• 6
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$14.99/month

1-year plan

$6.99/month

$83.88 billed every year

Save 53%

2-year plan + 3 month

$5.19/month

$140.13 billed every 2 years

Save 65%

3. Surfshark — Most Affordable VPN for France

surfshark.com

$2.49 / month

(save 83%) (All Plans)

Visit SurfsharkReview

Download

Mbps

Upload

Mbps

Latency

ms

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

Surfshark has more than 70 French VPN servers in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille, as well as more than 3,200 servers in 100+ countries. All Surfshark servers are RAM-based, so your browsing information can never be forcibly retrieved from the servers.

With Surfshark,you can get dedicated IPs in multiple locations, including France. Check our guide on how to use Surfshark dedicated IPs. For extra protection, the MultiHop servers route you through two servers so one faulty node won’t expose you.

Surfshark Hands-On Testing

Surfshark has apps for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. It is one of the few VPNs that allow unlimited device connections, as discussed in our best VPN for multiple devices article. The servers are grouped under “static,” “MultiHop” and “dedicated IP” for easy access. The kill switch works immediately once activated, and CleanWeb blocks most ads on some sites. Learn more about how these features work in our detailed Surfshark review.

Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Speed Test Results

Download Speed (Higher is better)

Upload Speed (Higher is better)

Latency (Lower is better)

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data averaged from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

At 93 Mbps, Surfshark is the second fastest France VPN. That’s a 7% speed drop on our unprotected 100 Mbps connection, enough to handle 4K/HD streaming and downloading heavy files. We managed to stream Aya Nakamura’s new masterpiece, ‘DNK,’ without missing a beat.

Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: Surfshark Security Analysis

Besides encryption and IPv6 leak protection, which helped Surfshark pass all our leak tests, the VPN uses CleanWeb to block ads and trackers. It’s perfect for people who hate seeing targeted ads when they shop online. 

However, what really caught our eye was the “alternative ID” feature, which gives you a fake name, email address and physical address for all your online form-filling activities. It’s ideal for human rights activists who want to break sensitive stories without exposing themselves.

Surfshark Pricing & Value

Surfshark Starter is the most affordable tier, offering full VPN service. The best deal is the 2-year plan for $2.49 per month. There’s a 12-month plan for $3.99 per month, and a monthly plan that costs $15.45 per month. You get a 30-day money-back guarantee with all paid plans.

30-days money-back guarantee

Surfshark Starter

• Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker.
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$15.45/month

1-year plan

$3.99/month

$47.88 billed every year

Save 74%

2-year plan

$2.49/month

$59.76 billed every 2 years

Save 83%

Surfshark One

• Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$17.95/month

1-year plan

$4.09/month

$49.08 billed every year

Save 77%

2-year plan

$3.19/month

$76.56 billed every 2 years

Save 82%

Surfshark One+

• Everything in One, plus Data removal
• Unlimited GB
• Unlimited

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$20.65/month

1-year plan

$6.49/month

$77.88 billed every year

Save 68%

2-year plan

$4.97/month

$119.28 billed every 2 years

Save 75%

4. Proton VPN — Best Free VPN With Free Servers

protonvpn.com

$4.99 / month

(save 50%) (All Plans)

Visit ProtonVPNReview

Proton VPN is our pick for the best free VPN, but the free version doesn’t have French servers. To access local French content, you’ll need the premium version, which has more than 125 servers in Paris. Overall, you get more than 3,100 servers in 70+ countries.

We used a Paris IP address to hop onto TV5MONDE to catch up with the news, then switched to a U.K. server to watch the English Premier League highlights. No matter where you find yourself, you can access anything you want with Proton VPN. 

Proton VPN Hands-On Testing

You can locate servers using the search function or by scrolling down the alphabetical country list. All the settings, which are simple toggles organized on one page, are available across Android, iOS, macOS and Windows. Furthermore, you can connect up to 10 simultaneous devices with the same account — but only one on the free version.

Notes From the Lab: Proton VPN Speed Test Results

Proton VPN registered 27 Mbps on our unprotected 40 Mbps connection, a 32% speed drop. Though this meant we struggled a little with 4K streaming, it was plenty for HD and SD content. 

Notes From the Lab: Proton VPN Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: Proton VPN Security Analysis

Proton VPN has special servers called Secure Core located in Iceland, Switzerland and Sweden. These servers, which have strong physical security and cybersecurity, form steps in double-hop connections. There are two Secure Core servers for France that route you through Sweden and Switzerland.

Proton VPN Pricing & Value

Proton VPN’s 24-month price plan offers the best deal at $4.99 per month, followed by the 12-month plan at $5.99 per month. Last is the monthly plan, which goes for $9.99 per month. Each plan comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. We explain the key differences between the free and premium versions in our Proton VPN review.

30-days money-back guarantee

Free

• Unlimited GB
• 1
• Yes

FREE

Plus

• Unlimited GB
• 5
• Yes

1-month plan, 1-year plan

1-month plan

$9.99/month

1-year plan

$5.99/month

$71.88 billed every year

Save 40%

2-year plan

$4.99/month

$119.75 billed every 2 years

Save 50%

5. CyberGhost — Largest French Server Network

www.cyberghostvpn.com

$2.37 / month

(save 81%) (All Plans)

Visit CyberghostReview

Download

80 Mbps
Very Fast

Upload

9 Mbps
Very Fast

Latency

39 ms
Very Fast

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

You can access French content with CyberGhost using over 930 servers in Paris, Strasbourg and Marseille. CyberGhost also has a large global server network, with more than 10,000 servers in 100+ countries, all of which are RAM-based.

What makes this VPN stand out is the specialty servers dedicated to streaming and downloading. French servers are dedicated to streaming services like 6play, France TV, Canal+, Molotov TV and more. Plus, CyberGhost offers dedicated IPs in 18 locations, including France, for an extra $2.50/month, the cheapest of the six VPNs covered here.

CyberGhost Hands-On Testing

CyberGhost is one of the easiest apps to use, as we mention in our list of best beginner-friendly VPNs. It’s compatible with Android, iOS, macOS and Windows, and you can connect up to seven simultaneous devices. The kill switch remains stable once activated, and the “smart rules” feature lets you automate access to French streaming servers.

Notes From the Lab: CyberGhost Speed Test Results

Download Speed (Higher is better)

Upload Speed (Higher is better)

Latency (Lower is better)

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data averaged from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

CyberGhost recorded a 19% speed drop with 81 Mbps on our unprotected speed of 100 Mbps. We had no trouble streaming the RTL podcasts and did not once experience buffering. We recommend you switch to WireGuard or IKEv2 for the best speeds, as explained in our VPN protocols breakdown.

Notes From the Lab: CyberGhost Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: CyberGhost Security Analysis

CyberGhost passed our DNS leak test, with the displayed IP address matching the one that the VPN claimed. It has a kill switch to keep you from broadcasting your personal business to French surveillance agencies. 

CyberGhost Pricing & Value

CyberGhost is one of the best cheap VPNs. The 2-year plan offers the best value at $2.37 per month. The six-month plan goes for $6.99 per month, and the monthly plan costs $12.99 per month. The monthly plan comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee, whereas the longer plans allow 45 days for refunds.

CyberGhost Plans

• Unlimited GB
• 7
• Yes

45-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan, 6-months plan

1-month plan

$12.99/month

6-months plan

$6.99/month

$41.94 billed every 6 month

Save 46%

2-year plan

$2.37/month

$56.94 billed every 2 years

Save 81%

6. Private Internet Access — Fastest VPN for Streaming

www.privateinternetaccess.com

$2.19 / month

(save 81%) (All Plans)

Visit Private Internet AccessReview

Download

93 Mbps
Very Fast

Upload

9 Mbps
Very Fast

Latency

3 ms
Very Fast

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: AllUSUKAUBRSASG

Private Internet Access (PIA) has high-speed VPN servers in more than 91 countries, including France. We connected to a random French server and unblocked Radio France to stream music and current news as they aired.

You can get a PIA dedicated IP for $5/month, which is more expensive than most. PIA also has multi-hop connections that bounce your traffic through two servers in case one fails; we found that these ran at comparable speeds to single-step servers, which helps elude surveillance.

Private Internet Access Hands-On Testing

PIA doesn’t list its servers in alphabetical order like Proton VPN or by continent like ExpressVPN, but the search function works smoothly. The VPN app works on Android, iOS, Windows and macOS, with unlimited simultaneous device connections. Read more on our Private Internet Access review.

Notes From the Lab: Private Internet Access Speed Test Results

Download Speed (Higher is better)

Upload Speed (Higher is better)

Latency (Lower is better)

Source: Cloudwards VPN Speed Test. We test daily. Data averaged from 12/16/23 to 01/15/24

Data for region: USUKAUBRSASG

PIA registered average speeds of 94 Mbps — the fastest in our tests, alongside NordVPN. This was a 6% speed drop on our unprotected 100 Mbps connection, enough for streaming 4K content, downloading big files or playing online games without latency.

Notes From the Lab: Private Internet Access Unblocking Capability Test Results

Notes From the Lab: Private Internet Access Security Analysis

Private Internet Access has an advanced kill switch in addition to the usual kill switch. The advanced version prevents leaks by blocking all internet traffic unless you connect to the VPN, even with the PIA app closed. PIA MACE, an ad tracker and malware blocker available on all devices, blocked video ads on YouTube and warned us about malware-related sites.

Private Internet Access Pricing & Value

PIA’s best deal is the three-year plan, which will cost you $2.19 per month and comes with an extra four free months. This is followed by the one-year plan, which costs $4.17 per month, and the monthly plan, which goes for $11.95 per month. All three plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Standard Plans

• 10
• Yes

30-days money-back guarantee

1-month plan, 3-year plan

1-month plan

$11.95/month

3-year plan

$2.19/month

$79 billed every 3 years

Save 81%

1-year plan

$4.17/month

$49.99 billed every year

Save 65%

Can You Use a Free VPN for France?

You can use free VPNs to access French content if they have servers in France. However, we don’t recommend most free VPN providers. Other than the few on our lists (including Proton VPN, Windscribe, TunnelBear and Hide.me), most are unsafe, sell your data to third parties or have poor infrastructure and speeds.

The Best Free France VPN: Proton VPN

Proton VPN is the best free France VPN for many reasons. It’s fast and provides you with military-grade encryption and a kill switch for IP leak protection. Though it lacks IP addresses in France, French residents can still use its free servers to access content in the U.S., the Netherlands and Japan.

How to Get a French IP Address With a VPN

Getting a French IP address isn’t hard. Here are some quick steps you can follow.

1. Subscribe to a VPN

   Open the VPN website and choose a plan you can afford.

   

2. Download and Install the VPN

   Go to the VPN’s app download page and download the version compatible with the device you intend to use.

   

3. Launch the VPN and Connect to a Server

   Open the server list, find France and tap once to connect.

   

Why You Need a VPN in France

You need a VPN in France to access geo-restricted content like Netflix U.S., BBC iPlayer in the U.K. or ZDF in Germany. The French government has also been stepping up surveillance thanks to a controversial bill that was passed in 2015. The bill gave the government immense power to spy on its citizens in a bid to deal with rising terrorism.

However, human rights groups have voiced their concerns about how these kinds of laws infringe on user privacy. A VPN is one of the most effective ways of bypassing this surveillance since it prevents investigators from associating your activity with your identity.

Final Thoughts

ExpressVPN is the best VPN for France. It has encryption to stop surveillance and a kill switch to prevent IP leaks. It offers 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, including servers in four locations in France. The speeds are reliable enough to handle latency-free gaming, 4K streaming and heavy downloads. 

Other alternatives that are just as capable include NordVPN (best security features), Surfshark (unlimited simultaneous connections), Proton VPN (best free VPN) and Private Internet Access (fastest speeds).

Have you been to France and used a VPN? Have you used a VPN to access French TV from outside the country? Did it work smoothly, or did you run into issues? Drop us your comments below, and thank you for your continued readership.

FAQ: VPNs for France

• Which VPN Is Best for France?

  ExpressVPN is the best VPN for France. It has 3,000+ servers in 105 countries, including French servers in Paris, Strasbourg, Marseille and Alsace. It’s also secure for circumventing state surveillance and offers fast speeds for streaming and gaming.

• How Do I Get a France VPN?

  You can get a France VPN by subscribing to a VPN with French IP addresses, installing it on your preferred device and connecting to a French server.

• Is It Legal to Use a VPN in France?

  Yes, it is legal to use a VPN in France. You can download and install VPNs on multiple devices and connect to any server in France without getting into trouble.

The post Best VPN for France: How to Get a French IP Address in 2024 appeared first on Cloudwards.