Best VPN for France
Looking for the best VPN to use in France? Want to stream blocked content such as Netflix and iPlayer safely? Concerned by France’s ‘Big Brother’ surveillance laws? Explore the best VPNs for France below.
Best VPN for France explained
The French government strictly monitor the online activity of all its citizens and visitors. Following the tragic terrorist events in France in 2015/16, increased surveillance laws passed meaning all electronic communications and telephone records are recorded and stored. A top 5 recommended French VPN can mask your true IP address and prevent excessive collection of your personal data. Human Rights Watch and the UN have criticised the French governments ‘Big Brother‘ approach stating that “phone tapping and computer hacking, are excessively broad and intrusive”. A French VPN is an effective tool to protect your online privacy for the watchful eyes of the authorities whilst keeping you safe online from hackers and other threats.
A French VPN will keep you protected and can unblock geo-restricted content such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer, HBO and other popular services. What’s more, you are left vulnerable to attacks from hackers whilst using public wi-fi without a VPN. Our top recommended French VPN providers are recommended to both tourists and citizens to give you full internet freedom and privacy protection.
What do you need from a VPN in France?
A recommended VPN for France needs to be fast, secure and highly privacy focussed. Our best French VPN reviews cover:
- Large server choice in France and internationally
- Privacy focussed features and strict log policies
- Works well with Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular streaming services
- Well-designed VPN applications and easy to use
- Ultimate security to keep you safe online
Melvyn's top 5 VPNs for France
CyberGhost
CyberGhost are an exceptional VPN provider with industry leading levels of privacy, worldwide server locations ideal for torrenting with user friendly applications that flawlessly unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular streaming services. If you want a super-fast, zero logs, easy to use VPN… then look no further!
Compatible with
Summary
Super-fast, zero logs, easy to use apps and friendly 24/7 customer support… you can see why it’s our number one recommended provider!
Our score:
5.0
★★★★★ 5/5
Price from:
$2.75
per month
NordVPN
NordVPN is one of the best and most popular VPN providers out there. It strikes the perfect balance for privacy concerned users and those looking for lightning fast speeds. It’s great for unblocking content such as Netflix and BBC iPlayer and also supports P2P and torrenting. Add to this its no logs policy and impeccable security, Nord sure does tick all the boxes!
Compatible with
Summary
Outstanding speeds, zero logs, and award winning 24/7 customer support… NordVPN is up there with the very best in the VPN market!
Our score:
4.9
★★★★★ 4.9/5
Price from:
$3.71
per month
Ivacy
Ivacy are a rock solid, highly secure, no logs VPN provider that has recently reinvented itself to be one of the top, yet cheapest, providers. With super-fast speeds from 1,000+ worldwide servers, you can stream HD content from all the popular providers such as Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Disney+ with ease. Their apps are slick and full of awesome features, so putting all these great points together make Ivacy a great all-round option!
Compatible with
Summary
Well polished user-friendly apps, market leading speeds and an outstanding price… Ivacy are major players in the VPN market!
Our score:
4.7
★★★★★ 4.7/5
Price from:
$1.16
per month
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN are one of the most recognisable names on the market, offering best-in-class zero logs privacy, fantastic speeds, awesome features and easy to use applications. ExpressVPN is a true market leader, and whilst it comes with a premium price tag (compared to others), users are rewarded with an outstanding product!
Compatible with
Summary
Blazing-fast speeds, exceptional app usability and 24/7 customer support… ExpressVPN is a real force to be reckoned with!
Our score:
4.8
★★★★★ 4.8/5
Price from:
$8.32
per month
ZenMate
Newly relaunched and better than ever, ZenMate are aiming to break into the top 5 best VPNs that’s for sure! With upgraded hardware, incredible privacy, zero logs and market leading speeds, plus the ability to torrent and flawlessly unblock US Netflix, BBC iPlayer and other popular streaming services. If you want a super-fast, user-friendly, highly secure VPN… ZenMate may be your answer!
Compatible with
Summary
Super-fast, highly secure and potentially the cheapest premium VPN on the market right now… ZenMate really are trying to compete with the very best!
Our score:
4.7
★★★★★ 4.7/5
Price from:
$2.22
per month
France related news
French VPN FAQs...
Do I need a VPN in France?
Yes. If you are concerned that all your online activity is logged as well as being accessed by the authorities, without a VPN encryption you will have no safe guard in place. In France, surveillance is high, meaning all texts, calls, emails and online browsing is stored and potentially vulnerable to being leaked. Also, a VPN allows you to unblock great content by locating your encrypted IP address in another country to access any geo-restricted content. A French VPN is also an essential tool if you frequently use public wi-fi spots which can leave your personal data exposed to hackers.
What are the best French VPN features?
Our top 5 VPNs for France are packed with many great features for both privacy and internet freedom. The key points we look for are strict privacy and logging policies, fast VPN server speeds and have the ability to unblock popular streaming content such as US Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Hulu etc. We also favour VPNs with DNS leak protection and a VPN kill switch meaning your activity won’t be compromised should your VPN lose connection.
Can I unblock US Netflix with a VPN in France?
Yes. A top 5 VPN for France will allow you to access US Netflix libraries as well as other popular streaming services including BBC iPlayer, Hulu, HBO etc. Simply download one of our recommended VPNs for France, set your server location to the USA (or whichever locations content you want to access), sign in into Netflix, and enjoy that locations full Netflix library.
Is it safe and legal to use a VPN in France?
Yes. It’s perfectly legal to have and use a VPN on any of your devices in France. A VPN will hide your true IP address meaning you are safe from the watchful eye of the authorities and protect your online privacy. We of course don’t recommend you do anything illegal when using a VPN in France.
Do I need a VPN with French and International servers?
In our opinion yes. All of our top 5 providers will offer server locations in France and surrounding countries. You may as well benefit from the additional freedom that international VPN servers give you so you can unblock more content and have greater online freedom.
Are French VPN servers fast?
Yes. We have tried and tested many VPNs and our top 5 VPNs for France delivered some exceptional speeds test results. Generally speaking, a VPN will slow your connection slightly, but our recommended VPNs are premium providers with the best server availability and top speeds. We recommend connecting to a server located as close to you as possible and most will direct you automatically to the quickest servers.
Should I use a free VPN in France?
Yes. There are numerous free VPNs in France we recommend (and a whole load you should avoid) but it really depends on what you need your VPN to deliver. We recommend you visit our Free VPN guide here for a full review of the best on offer. However, in our experience, a premium VPN service will give you much better overall protection as well as enhanced privacy features. The top 5 VPN providers in France offer exceptional value for money and are well worth the relatively small investment. Also, streaming content on free VPNs can be more challenging as many don’t have the server availability and speeds required.