Best VPNs for France in 2026
Whether you live in France or are only passing through, a VPN encrypts your connection on public Wi-Fi and gives you a French IP address for the French services that check for one. Below are the seven VPNs we recommend for France, what each is best at, who should skip it, and the official figures behind the comparison.
Best VPNs for France compared
| # | VPN | Best for | Servers in France | Simultaneous devices | Money-back guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NordVPN | Best VPN overall for France | 254 | 10 | 30 days |
| 2 | Surfshark | Best for families | 76 | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 3 | Private Internet Access | Best for torrenting | — | Unlimited | 30 days (new subscribers) |
| 4 | CyberGhost | Best for streaming | 776 | 7 | 45 days (14 on monthly plans) |
| 5 | Proton VPN | Best free VPN | 718 | 10 (VPN Plus) | 30 days |
| 6 | PureVPN | Best for Fire TV Stick | — | 10 | 31 days |
| 7 | ExpressVPN | Best for travelers | — | 10–14 (by plan) | 30 days (new users) |
Every figure in the table comes from the provider’s own website. Where a provider does not publish a French server count, the cell is empty rather than estimated.
Who has the most servers in France?
How we picked these VPNs
The ranking is our editorial judgment of which provider fits which need in France. To keep it honest, we only publish facts we can source:
- French servers – how many servers each provider runs in France and in which cities, taken from its own server pages.
- Devices per plan – how many devices one subscription covers, which decides whether one plan is enough for a family.
- Refund period – how long you have to try the service and get your money back.
- Fit for the use case – streaming, travel, a usable free plan, or support for TV devices such as the Fire TV Stick.
We have not yet published our own speed or streaming tests for France, so this guide makes no claims about speeds or about which French channels each VPN unblocks.
The best VPNs for France, reviewed
1. NordVPN
- Servers in France
- 254api.nordvpn.com/v1/servers/countries · checked 2026-11-07
- Simultaneous devices
- 10nordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 daysnordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
NordVPN runs servers in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, according to its own server list. That spread gives you a French IP address close to wherever you are in the country, and the plan covers enough devices for a phone, a laptop and a TV at the same time.
It is the provider we recommend if you only want to buy one VPN for France. Our NordVPN review covers the apps and the privacy policy in more detail.
+ Pros
- Servers in four French cities
- The third-largest French network we list, after CyberGhost and Proton VPN
- One plan covers a household’s main devices
− Cons
- Has a device limit, unlike Surfshark and PIA
- Fewer French servers than CyberGhost or Proton VPN’s paid plan
Choose it if you want one VPN that handles browsing, streaming and public Wi-Fi in France. Skip it if you need to protect more devices than one plan allows.
2. Surfshark
- Servers in France
- 76surfshark.com/servers/france · checked 2026-11-07
- Simultaneous devices
- Unlimitedsurfshark.com/features/multiple-devices · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 dayssurfshark.com/features/multiple-devices · checked 2026-11-07
Surfshark has servers in Paris, Bordeaux and Marseille, and one subscription covers an unlimited number of devices. That is why we recommend it for families and shared flats: everyone can use the same plan on every phone, laptop and TV in the household.
+ Pros
- No device limit on one subscription
- Servers in three French cities
− Cons
- A smaller French network than NordVPN or CyberGhost
- The refund guarantee only covers your first purchase
Choose it if you are buying one VPN for a whole family or flat. Skip it if the number of French servers matters more to you than the number of devices.
3. Private Internet Access
- Servers in France
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- Unlimitedprivateinternetaccess.com · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 days (new subscribers)privateinternetaccess.com · checked 2026-11-07
Private Internet Access (PIA) also allows unlimited simultaneous devices on one subscription. It is our pick for torrenting in France. PIA does not publish a French server count on its server page, so the table leaves that cell empty.
Using a VPN does not make downloading copyrighted material legal. See torrenting in France below.
+ Pros
- No device limit on one subscription
- A refund window to test it on your own connection
− Cons
- No published French server count
- The refund guarantee is for new subscribers only
Choose it if you torrent legal content and want every device covered. Skip it if you want to know exactly how many French servers you are paying for.
4. CyberGhost
- Servers in France
- 776cyberghostvpn.com/vpn-server · checked 2026-11-07
- Simultaneous devices
- 7cyberghostvpn.com/features/money-back-guar… · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 45 days (14 on monthly plans)cyberghostvpn.com/features/money-back-guar… · checked 2026-11-07
CyberGhost has the largest French network in this list, just ahead of Proton VPN’s paid plan, spread across Paris, Marseille and Strasbourg according to its server page. That is the main reason we pick it for streaming from French servers.
+ Pros
- The largest French network in this list
- The longest refund period here on plans of six months or more
− Cons
- The lowest device limit in this list
- Monthly plans get a much shorter refund window
Choose it if streaming French TV is the main reason you want a VPN. Skip it if you need many devices covered or only want to pay month by month.
5. Proton VPN
- Servers in France
- 718protonvpn.com/vpn-servers · checked 2026-11-08
- Simultaneous devices
- 10 (VPN Plus)protonvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 daysprotonvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-07
Proton VPN is the only provider in this list with a permanent free plan, which makes it our pick for a free VPN in France. The free plan covers a single device and connects you to a randomly selected server. You cannot choose France, so use it to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi, not to get a French IP address.
The paid VPN Plus plan adds the second-largest French network in this list and the ability to choose your country.
+ Pros
- The only permanent free plan in this list
- The paid plan has the second-largest French network in this list
− Cons
- The free plan cannot connect to France on request
- The free plan covers a single device
Choose it if you want free protection on café, hotel or station Wi-Fi. Skip it if you need a French IP address without paying.
6. PureVPN
- Servers in France
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- 10purevpn.com/order · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 31 dayspurevpn.com/order · checked 2026-11-08
PureVPN offers a dedicated Fire TV Stick app, which is why we recommend it if you mainly watch on an Amazon Fire TV device. France is in its server list, but it does not publish a French server count.
+ Pros
- A dedicated app for the Amazon Fire TV Stick
- A slightly longer refund period than most providers here
− Cons
- No published French server count
Choose it if you watch mostly on a Fire TV Stick. Skip it if you want the largest choice of French servers. Read our PureVPN review.
7. ExpressVPN
- Servers in France
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- 10–14 (by plan)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 days (new users)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12
ExpressVPN has French locations in Paris, Marseille, Alsace and Strasbourg, backed by a worldwide server network. It also sells an optional dedicated IP address in Paris.
That combination is why we recommend it to people who travel in and out of France: one app gives you a French IP address when you are away and a local one wherever you land.
+ Pros
- French locations in Paris, Marseille, Alsace and Strasbourg
- A worldwide server network for travel
- An optional dedicated Paris IP address
− Cons
- No published French server count
- The device limit depends on the plan you buy
- The refund guarantee is for new users only
Choose it if you regularly travel between France and other countries. Skip it if you want unlimited devices on one plan.
Watching French TV with a VPN
French streaming apps check where you are, and they often refuse to play when they see a VPN address. If you live in France and keep your VPN on, connect to a French server so the apps see a French IP address, and try another French server if one still refuses to play.
French channels and their streaming apps
| Broadcaster | Channels | Streaming app |
|---|---|---|
| France Télévisions | France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5 | france.tv |
| TF1 group | TF1 | TF1+ |
| M6 group | M6 | M6+ |
| Arte | Arte | arte.tv |
| Canal+ | Canal+ | the Canal+ app |
France Télévisions also shows the Tour de France, so france.tv is where viewers in France stream the race.
Before you rely on it
- Streaming services often block VPN traffic, and what works changes over time. We have not tested which VPN currently works with which French channel, so use the refund period to check the services you care about.
- Some services restrict VPN use in their terms. Check the terms of the service you subscribe to.
- Pay-TV services such as Canal+ still need a subscription; a VPN only changes your location.
What to avoid when choosing a VPN for France
- Free VPNs that pay for themselves with ads or your data. The CNIL recommends a paid VPN for public Wi-Fi. The one free plan we list, Proton VPN, is the exception, and it cannot give you a French IP address.
- Providers without servers in France. If you want French TV or a French IP address, check the server list before you buy.
- Plans you cannot get refunded. Every VPN in our list has a refund window; use it to test the French services you care about.
- Providers that say little about who runs them or what they log. Read the privacy policy before you pay.
- “Lifetime” deals from unknown brands. A service that has to keep running servers for ever on a one-off payment rarely lasts.
Is using a VPN legal in France?
Yes. France’s data protection authority, the CNIL, itself advises using a VPN when you have to connect to public Wi-Fi, preferably a paid one.
A VPN does not change what is legal, though. This is general information, not legal advice.
Torrenting in France
Downloading or sharing copyrighted material without permission is illegal in France, with or without a VPN. Online copyright enforcement is the job of Arcom, the regulator created in 2022 when Hadopi merged with the CSA. Arcom continues Hadopi’s graduated response: warnings to internet subscribers whose connection is used to share protected works, which can end in a fine. Torrenting itself is legal for content you have the right to share, such as open-source software or public-domain films.
How to get a French IP address
- Pick a VPN from the table above that lists servers in France.
- Install its app on the device you want to use and sign in.
- Choose France (or a French city) in the server list and connect.
- Check that your IP address now shows France, then open the French service you want to use.
FAQ
What is the best VPN for France?
NordVPN is our pick for most people. It has servers in Paris, Marseille, Bordeaux and Strasbourg, and one plan covers several devices. Surfshark is the better choice for large households because it has no device limit.
Is there a good free VPN for France?
Proton VPN has the only free plan in our list. It is useful on public Wi-Fi, but the free plan picks a server for you, so it cannot give you a French IP address. For that you need a paid plan.
Which VPN has the most servers in France?
Of the providers in our list that publish a figure, CyberGhost has the most French servers, followed closely by Proton VPN’s paid plan and then NordVPN.
Can I watch TF1, France 2 or Canal+ in France with a VPN on?
These channels check for a French IP address, which a VPN connected to a French server provides. Streaming services do block VPNs, though, and we have not tested which VPN currently works with each channel. Use a refund period to try it, and remember that Canal+ still needs a subscription.
Is it legal to use a VPN in France?
Yes. The CNIL recommends a VPN on public Wi-Fi. A VPN does not make illegal activity, such as downloading copyrighted material, legal.
Which VPN is best for traveling to and from France?
ExpressVPN is our pick for travelers: it has French locations in four cities and a worldwide server network, so one app covers you at home and abroad.