How to get a French IP address with a VPN in 5 easy steps

Acquiring a French IP address is a breeze when you use a VPN. With a VPN, you can readily access your favorite French services, including TV shows, streaming platforms, and online banking, no matter where you are. This guide will list the most effective VPNs for securing a French IP address, step-by-step instructions on their usage, and answers to frequently asked VPN queries.

So what are VPNs, and what do they do? VPNs or Virtual Private Networks encrypt your internet traffic, safeguarding your online activity and shielding you from potential snoopers. They also reroute your traffic through a server in the location of your choice, which hides your real IP address and spoofs your location. This can give you access to geographically restricted content – such as your favorite sites from home. Simply put, a top-tier VPN is an essential asset for global travelers.

If you’re pressed for time, we’ve stated with a brief rundown of our top VPN picks. Scroll down for a more in-depth review of the services that pique your interest.

Best VPNs for getting a French IP address

1. NordVPN: Our top VPN for getting a French IP address. Known for its strong commitment to security and privacy. Over 230 French servers to choose from. Provides stable connections and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
   TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for French IP.
2. Surfshark: The best way to get a France IP address on a budget. Has minimal impact on your speeds and allows any number of simultaneous connections. Strict no-logs policy and strong security.
3. ExpressVPN: Great at accessing French websites and streaming services. Boasts a solid security toolkit and around-the-clock support, not to mention its own router app. Ranks highly on speed.
4. CyberGhost: A quick and user-friendly service with 930+ servers in France. Makes it easy to access your usual streaming platforms and French content abroad. Powerful security tools and 24/7 live chat.
5. IPVanish: A versatile, lightweight VPN that keeps no logs. Allows users to protect all of their devices at once. Has an impressive set of security features and solid unblocking abilities.
6. PrivateVPN: Capable of unblocking a huge range of French services abroad. Privacy-first VPN with a top-tier security toolkit. Doesn’t slow down your connection very much at all.

TIP In our testing we found that the cheapest NordVPN plan (Standard) works perfectly for French IP.

How to get a French IP address from abroad

It’s easier than you might think to gain a French IP address, just follow these simple steps, and you’ll be good to go in minutes.

Here’s how to get a French IP address from abroad with a VPN:

1. Sign up for one of the VPNs listed below (we recommend NordVPN).
2. Install the app on your most-used devices. You’ll normally be allowed to connect at least five at once.
3. Log in and select one of the available French servers.
4. That’s all there is to it; you should now be able to browse safely and access France-only services. If not, clear your cookies and cache to delete old location data and force the sites you visit to use your new location instead. Then try reloading the sites.
5. If you’re still struggling, try a different server or contact your VPN’s support team for more assistance.

How we found the top VPNs for getting a French IP

There are plenty of VPNs offering access to French servers, but they don’t all offer the same level of service. To ensure we only recommend services capable of handling whatever you throw at them, we looked for providers that met the following criteria:

• Must have at least one French server, but preferably lots more
• Unblocks a wide range of France-only services
• Doesn’t slow your connection down to any meaningful degree
• Protects your privacy with a no-logging policy
• Includes effectively uncrackable encryption and various other security features
• Provides apps for all of the most popular operating systems

This is just an overview of our VPN testing process, but you can find a more detailed description in our methodology section below.

Best VPNs for a French IP address: at a glance

We’ve compared the most important features of the top VPNs here. Prefer to read the in-depth reviews? Start with NordVPN – our #1 choice for gaining a French IP address.

Best VPNs for getting an IP address from France

At Comparitech, we aim to bring you the most helpful and accurate VPN information possible. To do this, we personally use every VPN and subject them to rigorous real-world testing before we ever recommend them to you. Let’s take a look at the one’s that impressed us.

Here are the best VPNs for getting a French IP address:

1. NordVPN

Apr 2024

NordVPN is our first choice for anyone looking to get a French IP address when they travel. Not only does it offer access to over 230 French servers, but it’s one of the best around in terms of sheer unblocking ability. You’ll be able to stream TF1, your home Netflix France library, and Canal+ on up to six of your devices at once. Best of all, this VPN only has a small impact on your connection speeds.

This service prioritizes your security, and it shows. The apps come with 256-bit AES encryption, protection against WebRTC, IPv6, and DNS leaks, and an app-specific kill switch. NordVPN even launched its own protocol recently, NordLynx, which is easier to audit than OpenVPN. Speaking of audits, NordVPN has twice had independent auditors verify its strict no-logs policy. If you have any problems, you can get in touch with support staff 24/7 over email or live chat.

NordVPN has its own Android, iOS, Windows, Linux, and macOS apps. If you’d prefer to protect all your devices simultaneously, you can manually install it on a wide range of routers.

BEST VPN FOR A FRENCH IP ADDRESS:NordVPN is our first choice. Not only is it a reputable, security-conscious provider, it also has over 230 French servers and is one of the best at bypassing regional blocking. All plans include a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

Find out more in our complete NordVPN review.

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2. Surfshark

Surfshark is our favorite pick for a high-quality VPN on a budget. This VPN distinguished itself from the pack in our most recent speed tests. This makes it a fantastic option for torrenting or streaming, especially since it reliably works with services like Netflix, BBC iPlayer, and Amazon Prime Video. This allows you to stream content from your home library while traveling abroad. As if this wasn’t enough, Surfshark lets users simultaneously protect every device they own.

This VPN hides your activities from snoopers with leak protection, 256-bit AES encryption, and a kill switch. It also boasts a CleanWeb mode capable of blocking ads, trackers, and malware and a NoBorders mode designed for bypassing country-wide web blocking. Surfshark follows a strict no-logs policy and accepts three cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Ripple). Live chat and email support are available anytime, day or night.

Surfshark has iOS, macOS, Android, Windows, and Linux apps. This VPN is now fully compatible with Apple’s M1 chip and provides greater stability and lower battery usage on macOS systems. It can be manually installed on Tomato, DD-WRT, and Asus routers.

BEST BUDGET VPN:Surfshark is our top low-cost option. It’s an extremely versatile service that doesn’t compromise on security, privacy, or unblocking ability. What’s more, it lets users secure all of their devices at once. Plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

For more information, check out the full Surfshark review.

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3. ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN checks all of the boxes. First of all, its network spans 100+ countries, including France. Users can choose between servers in Paris or Strasbourg, although either will unblock your favorite French websites and services while away from home. It also provides impressive speeds and permits up to eight connections at once, which means you can browse safely even when out and about.

Security-conscious users will appreciate ExpressVPN’s 256-bit AES encryption, kill switch, and protection against IPv6 and DNS leaks. This service even has its own protocol, Lightway, which claims to keep you safe even while you switch between networks. ExpressVPN doesn’t store any data that could identify you, but users can pay in Bitcoin for added peace of mind. Need help? There’s an extensive support section on the website, as well as 24/7 live chat.

ExpressVPN provides access to its own Linux, Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android apps. Additionally, this service has its own custom router firmware, which just received an update and now works more reliably than ever before.

EXTREMELY VERSATILE:ExpressVPN is a strong all-rounder that’s spent years earning its users’ trust. It has reliable French servers, the ability to unblock major streaming services abroad, and a great set of built-in security tools. It also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Take a look at our comprehensive ExpressVPN review.

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4. CyberGhost

CyberGhost makes navigating the world of VPNs a breeze. With 10,000 global servers and more than 930 situated in France alone, it assures reliable access to French streaming services and content. The VPN even offers guidance on the best servers for unblocking specific French content. With minimal impact on your download speeds and the capacity to connect up to seven devices simultaneously, CyberGhost caters to your streaming and browsing needs.

The user-friendly approach extends to CyberGhost’s settings menu, with pre-configured security features for your convenience. You can activate 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, leak protection, and tracker blocking with just a single click. This provider ensures online privacy by not logging any personally identifiable information. In addition, unlike many competitors, CyberGhost regularly publishes transparency reports.

CyberGhost’s intuitive apps are available on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, and Linux. Moreover, installing this VPN on various wireless routers is possible by following manual setup instructions. The VPN also supports mobile devices, ensuring that you maintain a secure connection on the go. If you ever need assistance, CyberGhost offers 24/7 support, further providing a smooth VPN experience.

PERFECT FOR BEGINNERS:CyberGhost couldn’t be easier to use. It signposts its streaming servers, has pre-configured security tools, and a 24/7 support desk just in case. With more than 930 French servers and a 45-day money-back guarantee, there’s plenty to like.

Interested? Why not read our full review of CyberGhost?

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5. IPVanish

IPVanish has approximately 30 servers in France spread across Paris, Marseille, and Bordeaux, plus around 2,000 elsewhere in the world. Notably, it owns all of these, giving it greater control over who has access to your traffic. In fact, this provider recently made improvements to the network that resulted in higher speeds than before (we saw an average of about 60 Mbps in our latest tests). One other thing that helps IPVanish stand out is that it allows users to secure as many devices as they like.

There’s a lot to like from a security perspective too. For instance, IPVanish apps feature 256-bit encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch, but also some rarer features like LAN traffic blocking, OpenVPN obfuscation, and an automatic reconnection option. This is a zero-logs provider and, as such, can’t divulge details of your online activity to anyone. If you’re having problems, don’t panic: support staff are ready to help you out via 24/7 live chat.

IPVanish has its own Android, iOS, Windows, and macOS apps. If you’d like to use this service on your Linux system or network router, you can, although manual configuration is required.

PROTECT EVERY DEVICE:IPVanish gives you everything you need to protect yourself abroad. There’s a suite of advanced security tools, a true no-logs policy, and, most importantly, no connection limit. Annual plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Check out our complete review of IPVanish.

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6. PrivateVPN

PrivateVPN doesn’t have many servers in France but earns its place on our list thanks to how reliable it is. This service can access just about every streaming service we’ve tried, from French TV to Amazon Prime Video to Disney+ and everything in between. Not only that, but it consistently ranks highly in our speed tests. There are no monthly bandwidth limits, and users can secure up to ten devices at once.

If you’re worried about your privacy, this might be the service you need. PrivateVPN recently began acting as its own ISP and hosting provider, meaning it has complete control over your data at all times. As you might expect, there’s also a true no-logs policy in place. Its apps secure your traffic with 256-bit AES encryption, leak protection, a kill switch (on Windows), and a Stealth mode that lets you browse the web freely in places like China.

PrivateVPN apps are available for Windows, Android, macOS, and iOS. Plus, this service can be manually installed on popular Linux distributions and a wide selection of routers.

BROWSE SAFELY ABROAD:PrivateVPN comes packed with security tools and owns its servers outright. It’s able to bypass some of the world’s strictest online blocking, so French TV doesn’t present much of a challenge. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Still have questions? Find answers in our detailed PrivateVPN review.

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Methodology: How we chose our recommendations

As mentioned above, we’d rather only recommend the best of the best. That’s why we carefully considered all of the challenges you might face when traveling outside of France and tailored our recommendations to fit. Specifically, we paid close attention to the following aspects of each service when making a decision:

• Servers in France: Without these, it’s not possible to get a French IP address. Ideally, we’d like to see quite a few French servers since this would help spread the load and still let you get a French IP address when some are down for maintenance.
• Speeds: We regularly put major VPNs through their paces to see what impact they have on your connection speeds. While some slowdown is unavoidable, we only recommend those that score highly in our most recent VPN speed tests.
• Unblocking ability: A French IP doesn’t help if your VPN can’t access the service you’d like to use. We look for providers with the ability to bypass VPN-detection measures and access popular services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, thereby allowing you to watch your home libraries while abroad.
• Value: We see a lot of VPNs, and can tell when a service is charging more than it’s worth. That’s why we’ll only ever recommend those that are priced fairly. The main way we’ll do this is by comparing what it offers to similarly priced rivals, but we also consider whether it offers multiple device connections, a free trial, a money-back guarantee, or a long-term discount.
• User-friendliness: You shouldn’t have to be a tech expert to stay safe online. That’s why we prioritize VPNs that are simple enough for a complete beginner to use. We’re big fans of well-organized menus, one-click connection, and live chat-based support.
• Privacy & Security: This is non-negotiable. At a minimum, our recommendations must have 128-bit encryption (256-bit preferred), a kill switch, and protection against DNS and IPv6 leaks, and they can’t log any personally identifiable data either. Our top choices tend to go further than this, though, with proprietary security protocols and more advanced features such as traffic obfuscation or DNS proxies.

Interested in learning more about how we test VPNs at Comparitech? We’ve actually written a comprehensive guide to our VPN testing methodology that you might find enlightening.

Using a free VPN to get a French IP address

Although you may be able to obtain a French IP address using a free VPN, we advise against doing so. These services often only allow you to use a certain amount of bandwidth each month free, so they’re not a good choice for day-to-day usage. What’s more, because free providers tend to have smaller networks, they’re easier for geo-blocked services to identify and blacklist.

Unfortunately, this is only the tip of the iceberg. In a bid to attract users, free VPNs have been known to misrepresent how secure they actually are. For instance, one study found that dozens of free VPNs are still using outdated encryption ciphers or failing to encrypt data at all. These services are supposed to improve your privacy, not weaken it, which is why we strongly recommend choosing a quality paid service like those listed above or in our best VPNs for France article instead of a free one.

Gaining a French IP address with a VPN: FAQs