How to Get a French IP address from Anywhere

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How to Get a French IP Address from Anywhere - Summary

It only takes a few minutes to get a French IP address – and it’s completely free! With a VPN (Virtual Private Network), you can change your IP address and unblock French websites. This means you can watch French TV online, including popular channels France 2, France 3, and Molotov TV. Here’s a quick guide to getting a French IP:

  1. Choose the best VPN for a French IP, CyberGhost, or use another top VPN provider.
  2. Download and install CyberGhost or your other chosen VPN.
  3. Choose a VPN subscription to create an account, then sign in.
  4. Look for a French VPN server in the VPN client, or let the client find one for you.
  5. Get a French IP address by connecting to the server, and you’re done!

For more detailed guidance on how to get a French IP address for free, check out the full article below.

If you want to unblock French websites or watch French TV online, you’re going to need a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Without a VPN, you’ll find that some of the most popular TV channels in France are blocked to overseas visitors, including Molotov TV, France 2, and France 3. Even if you’re ordinarily a resident in France, you could find yourself locked out of important services when heading overseas, such as your bank account or social media accounts.

While you can download free VPNs, they’re very limited. Many offer data caps as low as 500Mb per month, which won’t even let you watch one entire French movie online. That’s why we’ve rounded up the best premium VPNs to get a French IP address. Our top VPNs for France will let you unblock French websites with ease, and we’ve tested all of them with France 2, France 3, and Molotov TV.

How to Get a French IP address from Anywhere (for Free)

Streaming websites can lock you out by filtering your location. Often, this is down to broadcasting rights. If you’re trying to watch French TV online from another country, you’re likely to find yourself blocked. This is normally because the TV network isn’t allowed to broadcast its content outside of the country where it holds the broadcasting rights to do so. That said, you can find yourself blocked from other essential services like online banking for security reasons too.

All of this is possible because of your IP address. This seemingly meaningless number can actually tell a website what country you’re browsing from. It can even tell your ISP (internet service provider) what you’re browsing online, and many ISPs will log your browsing activity for a varying length of time.

Sounds like an invasion of privacy, right? Well, all of these problems go away when you’re using a VPN. By using a VPN server, you can masquerade as an internet surfer from any country you choose. You’ll also have greater anonymity and security when using the internet or downloading files. Check out our article on the advantages of a VPN for all of the benefits. More importantly, though, by getting a French IP address, you’ll be able to access blocked French websites, including unblocking French Netflix and TV channels online.

Step-by-step guide: Get a French IP from anywhere (for free)

To get a French IP address in just a few minutes, follow our step-by-step guide below:

  1. First, choose a VPN provider. Our top recommendation to get a French IP address is CyberGhost. CyberGhost offers over 600 French VPN servers in two VPN server locations.
  2. Download a VPN, whether that’s CyberGhost or another top provider, and install the VPN. CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN all support more than one simultaneous device.
  3. Run the VPN once it has installed. Create a VPN account if you haven’t already done so.
  4. Log into your account and locate a French VPN server. Again, the best providers like CyberGhost and ExpressVPN will automatically find the fastest VPN server if you so choose.
  5. Connect to the VPN to get your French IP address and enjoy safer, more secure browsing.

Which VPN is Best? How to Choose a Free or Paid VPN for Accessing French Content

To get a French IP address, you could use a free VPN or a paid VPN. We prefer premium VPNs, as you get a better and more reliable service. While ExpressVPN is more expensive than most, there are still cheaper subscription-based VPNs around, such as Surfshark. Still, if you’re tempted to try a free VPN, check out our roundup of the best free VPNs. We really don’t recommend free VPNs due to several reasons:

  1. You might struggle to get a French IP address with a free VPN. While premium VPN providers like ExpressVPN cover 94 countries worldwide, free VPN servers are concentrated in smaller regions.
  2. You might not be able to watch French TV online with a free VPN. The six best free VPNs we’ve looked at have data caps that vary from 500MB to 10GB per month. While ProtonVPN offers unlimited data, you’ll only have access to three countries and you won’t be able to download torrents.
  3. Your connection could be too poor for streaming or downloading. Some free VPNs throttle your connection. Even if that’s not the case, you’ll be competing for space on limited servers with potentially thousands of other users. This is bound to impact your speed.
  4. Your online browsing activity could be tracked and sold to third parties. This could include marketing companies who may spam your inbox. Unfortunately, some free VPNs claim that they won’t log your browsing activity, yet they go ahead and do so anyway.

It’s easy to get an idea of why we prefer paid VPN providers. CyberGhost, ExpressVPN, and NordVPN all allow you to get a French IP address. None of these premium providers limit your data usage, nor do they track your browsing activity. ExpressVPN and NordVPN are also market leaders when it comes to fast, reliable VPN connections.

Is Using a VPN to Get a French IP Address Safe?

Getting a French IP address is quick, easy, and safe. Once you connect to a VPN, you’ll actually have more anonymity and security while browsing online, making you safer. When you connect to a VPN, you change your IP address. This means that your ISP and any malicious third parties won’t be able to work out your real identity by looking at your IP address. If you get a French IP address, your data traffic will be routed through a French VPN server, and your real identity – your original IP – will be cloaked.

From a legal point of view, France doesn’t restrict the use of VPNs at all. It’s completely legal to use a VPN in France, and it’s legal to get a French IP address from another country. The only caveat is that VPNs are restricted or even banned in certain countries, and you should always do your research first. For example, Belarus banned VPNs in 2015, and Iraq and Iraq banned VPN use even further back than that. You can read more about the legality of VPNs in certain countries in our article, “Is it Legal to Use a VPN?”

You should also bear in mind that using a VPN doesn’t make illegal activities legal. Avoid downloading copyrighted material or performing any other illegal acts online that could get you in trouble.

Assuming you check your own country’s laws and keep on the right side of them, the best VPN providers give you much more security online. So, to get a French IP address, take a look at our pick of the best, most reliable VPN providers for a French IP.

The Best VPN for a French IP Address

There are many VPNs that will let you get a French IP address. Choosing a VPN provider can be difficult when you’re not sure what to look for, which is why we’ve rounded up the best VPNs for France. You’ll find more VPNs and more information in our best VPNs of 2021 article; otherwise, read ahead to discover our top VPN for a French IP.

1. CyberGhost: 637 VPN servers in France

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  • Offers more than 7,000 VPN servers across the globe
  • Dedicated VPN servers for streaming French online TV
  • Strict no-logging policy keeps your French IP activity anonymous
  • Try CyberGhost with the reassurance of a 45-day money-back guarantee
  • Military-grade 256-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption
  • A huge 637 VPN servers in France

With CyberGhost, you’ll have no problem finding a VPN server in France. They have the highest number of French servers on this list. NordVPN, for example, has around 230+ VPN servers in France, which is less than half what CyberGhost offers. It’s crucial to choose a provider that offers a large number of VPN servers, as this helps prevent slower connections resulting from high demand. You’ll also have access to dedicated VPN servers for streaming, which is ideal for CyberGhost, one of the best VPNs for streaming and watching TV online.

As a new user, you’ll be able to take advantage of a 45-day money-back promise. That’s more than enough time to try the service out. You could even cover a long vacation, supporting the whole family with up to 7 simultaneous desktop or mobile devices for free. Just be sure to check the T&Cs of the money-back guarantee. What’s more, CyberGhost keeps no logs of your browsing activity and protects your data with government-standard 256-bit AES encryption. A kill switch keeps you anonymous should your connection falter. It’s also great if you want a Brazilian IP address too!

Visit CyberGhost

2. NordVPN: Get a French IP address with lightning-fast speeds

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  • Support for up to 6 simultaneous mobile or desktop devices
  • 230+ VPN servers in France and 5,400+ worldwide
  • 3 months for free when creating a new account
  • Fast VPN connections of up to 600Mbps (800Mbps in some scenarios)
  • Military-grade 256-bit AES encryption
  • DNS leak protection

NordVPN has a huge network of VPN servers worldwide. In total, NordVPN has over 5,400 VPN servers in more than 59 countries. This includes over 230 VPN servers in France. You’ll get some of the fastest VPN connections available with NordVPN; some users have reported up to 800Mbps in the right conditions.

Like ExpressVPN, there’s extensive support for additional devices. You can install NordVPN on smartphones, both iOS and Android. You’ve also got the same range of features, including 256-bit encryption and a kill switch. What’s more, DNS leak protection is part of the package, keeping your browsing anonymous and secure.

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3. ExpressVPN: Automatically locate the fastest French VPN servers

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  • Supports 94 countries worldwide for expanded anonymous browsing
  • 2 VPN server locations in France
  • No-logging VPN guaranteed
  • The same government-standard 256-bit AES encryption as CyberGhost
  • Automatically locates the fastest VPN server for you
  • Get your French IP address with a 30-day money-back guarantee

ExpressVPN offers some of the fastest VPN connections in the industry, which makes it one of the best VPNs for torrenting and downloading. This VPN unblocks French TV channels, including Molotov TV and France 2. With ExpressVPN, you’ll also be able to unblock French Netflix. There are two VPN server locations; one in Paris and another in Strasbourg. You’ll also have access to excellent VPN customer support, with live chat available 24/7 if you find yourself stuck.

Like with CyberGhost, your browsing activity won’t be logged, your data will be encrypted with 256-bit AES encryption, and there’s a kill switch. You can also use a VPN mobile app on a range of devices. ExpressVPN supports both Windows and MacOS, in addition to iOS and Android. You can even install ExpressVPN on your Smart TV!

Visit ExpressVPN

Why Should I Use a VPN with a French IP Address?

Two of the most popular reasons to get a French IP address are when traveling outside of the country or watching French TV online. If you’re a resident of France, you might need a VPN to access your online accounts back home when you’re overseas. Otherwise, many people want to unblock French streaming websites and watch French TV online, whether a resident of France or not.

Once you’ve got a French IP, you’ll be able to watch French TV online as if you were in the country. In addition to being able to watch French Netflix, with a VPN, you can watch the following French TV channels online:

What Should I Look For in a French VPN Provider?

If you’re wondering what to look for in a VPN provider for a French IP address, we’ve got you covered. You should always consider certain factors when comparing premium VPN providers. We took into account the below points when comparing the best VPNs for a French IP, which is how we chose CyberGhost as the best VPN for France:

  • The number of VPN servers. The number of VPN servers offered by a provider is important. Under peak traffic conditions, this will help keep your VPN connection stable and prevent it from slowing down. Free VPNs have fewer VPN servers, while CyberGhost, our best VPN for a French IP address, offers 637 servers in France alone.
  • Privacy and security. CyberGhost, NordVPN, and ExpressVPN have no-logging policies, meaning that they won’t log your data. These VPNs also use military-grade data encryption and offer a kill switch to keep your data and browsing activities secure. If you’re looking for the most comprehensive protection, consider NordVPN for a double-hop VPN and DNS leak protection.
  • Unblocking websites and streaming. If you want to get a French IP address, chances are you want to unblock French websites. With any of our top VPNs for France, you’ll be able to unblock French Netflix. You’ll also be able to watch French TV online, including popular channels such as France 2, France 3, and Molotov TV.
  • Connection speeds. CyberGhost offers excellent VPN speeds of around 50-100Mbps in our connection tests. However, if you depend on the highest speeds, you can consider one of our other best VPN providers. Our second and third pick, ExpressVPN and NordVPN are the market leaders when it comes to speedy VPN connections.
  • Customer support. Free VPNs typically offer limited or no customer support, while premium VPNs shine in this area. CyberGhost’s customer service is available 24/7 over live chat. The same can be said about ExpressVPN and NordVPN.

Final Thoughts

Want to unblock French Netflix or watch French TV online but can’t? With a VPN, you can access blocked websites in France simply by getting a French IP address. Our best VPN for France is CyberGhost thanks to a vast network of more than 600 VPN servers. Not to mention, you get good customer support, powerful data encryption, and up to 7 simultaneous devices. Other good VPNs for France include ExpressVPN and NordVPN, two of the fastest VPNs available.

How to Get a French IP Address from Anywhere - Summary

For French residents traveling abroad or those trying to watch French TV online, a VPN could be the answer. Below, you’ll find frequently asked questions on how to get a French IP and unblock French websites.

It’s easy to get a French IP, and it’ll only take you a few minutes:

  1. Use the best VPN for a French IP, CyberGhost.
  2. Download CyberGhost or another of the best VPN providers, then install the client.
  3. Create a VPN account and sign in.
  4. Choose a French VPN server to get a French IP.
  5. Hit the connect button, and you’ll be browsing more securely and anonymously – from France!

You can find more detailed steps in our full article on how to get a French IP.

If you want to watch Tour de France online, you might need a VPN. While some countries offer free live streams of the Tour de France, others do not. But with a VPN (Virtual Private Network), you can access streams in other countries that are usually blocked. Check out our article on how to watch the Tour de France online from anywhere.

CyberGhost is our pick of the best premium VPNs to get a French IP address. The number of server locations available in a country is important, and CyberGhost has 637 VPN servers in France. You’ll also get access to dedicated VPN servers for streaming so that you can watch French Netflix. Check out our CyberGhost review for more information on the other great features offered by this premium VPN.

No, there’s no law against using a VPN in France, and it isn’t illegal to get a French IP address from elsewhere. Bear in mind that changing IP address doesn’t make illegal acts legal. You should still stay on the right side of the law, even when you’re using a VPN. Our article on the legality of VPNs worldwide explains more about this topic.

Cybersecurity journalist
Chris is a tech journalist with many years' experience covering the latest news in online privacy and cybersecurity. He's also a published author and works as a Product Manager for some of the most innovative software development companies.