The best and most reliable way to watch Canal+ from outside France is to use a VPN. A VPN is simple software that you can use to change your virtual location. This way, you can make yourself appear to be in France even if you’re not, allowing you to watch Canal+ while traveling abroad. Using a VPN is very easy, even if you don’t consider yourself to be very tech-savvy. I tested several VPNs and found ExpressVPN to be the best one for watching Canal+. It has 5+ reliable server locations in France, making it very effective at unblocking Canal+. It also has a 30-day money-back guarantee so you can test it risk-free. If you find it’s not the right VPN for you, you can easily get a refund.
Why You Need a VPN to Watch Canal+
Canal+ is only licensed to broadcast its content in France, so it uses geo-blocks to prevent anyone outside the country from watching its content. If you try watching Canal+ from outside France, you’ll encounter the following error message (which translates to “CANAL+ is not available in your country.”): Watch Canal+ With ExpressVPN Today Canal+ confirms your location by looking at your IP address. If your IP address shows any country that is not France, the platform automatically blocks you from watching its content. So, to watch anything on Canal+, you need a French IP address. VPNs let you change your virtual location by replacing your real IP address with one from another country. They do this by routing your internet traffic through their own private servers located in the other country. So, all you need to do is connect to server in France. That will make it appear as if you’re there, so Canal+ will grant you access. Watch Canal+ Today
Best VPNs to Watch Canal+ From Anywhere in 2023
1. ExpressVPN — Super-Fast Speeds for Watching Canal+ Without Interruptions
What stood out to me when I tested ExpressVPN were the super-fast connection speeds, which allowed me to watch Ligue 1 matches without any buffering. My speeds were 7 Mbps without a VPN, and 6.62 Mbps when connected to ExpressVPN, which is just a 5% drop. The lightning-fast speeds mean you can watch your favorite shows with zero interruptions. ExpressVPN has 5+ server locations in France. Having multiple server locations in France reduces the chances of server overcrowding, which could slow down your connection. It also reduces the likelihood of abnormal server usage, which could lead to Canal+ detecting and blocking ExpressVPN’s IP addresses. I tried out a couple of its servers in France, and they all unblocked Canal+ without any issues and maintained a steady connection throughout. Another great thing about ExpressVPN is that it regularly monitors its IP addresses to avoid detection by streaming platforms like Canal+. If ExpressVPN notices that a streaming platform has blocked one of its IP addresses, it replaces it with a new IP. This makes it a lot harder for Canal+ to totally block ExpressVPN. The only minor issue I noted with ExpressVPN is that it is a bit pricey compared to the other VPNs on this list. However, this is a minor concern since you can save up to 49% by going for its long-term plans, which start at $6.67/month. It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, which is a great way for you to try the VPN risk-free. If you don’t like it, ExpressVPN will give you a full refund. To find out how easy it is to get your money back, I requested a refund after using it for 2 weeks. The support agent didn’t ask a lot of questions, and the money was refunded within 5 days. Watch Canal+ With ExpressVPN Now
2. CyberGhost — Large Server Network in France to Effectively Unblock Canal+
One of the things that makes CyberGhost so effective at unblocking Canal+ is that it has a large network of more than 820 servers in France. This gives you 2 benefits. First, it reduces server overcrowding, which could slow down your speeds. Second, it reduces the chances of hundreds of users connecting to Canal+ using the same IP address, which would result in this IP getting detected and blocked by the platform. I tested more than 10 of CyberGhost’s servers in France, and all of them worked with Canal+. Another thing I liked about CyberGhost is that it gives you excellent speeds. During my tests, I consistently achieved speeds of up to 9.9 Mbps, against base speeds of 10.80 Mbps, which is just an 8% drop. This allowed me to watch Canal+ the same way I do when I’m in France — without any buffering. I also found CyberGhost to be very easy to use, even for people with no prior experience with VPNs. It has a simple interface with a clear connect button that lets you connect to your preferred server in 1 click. In addition, CyberGhost’s apps look and work the same on all platforms, so you don’t have to worry about figuring out how to use the app when you switch from one device to another. The only downside I noticed with CyberGhost is that its monthly plan is a bit costly. However, this is not a huge worry if you go for the long-term plans, which start at $2.11/month and allow you to save up to 84%. CyberGhost offers a 45-day money-back guarantee on its yearly plans and a 14-day money-back guarantee on the monthly plan, allowing you to try the VPN risk-free. I found CyberGhost’s refund process to be very straightforward. I made the refund request through the support ticket and received a response within an hour. The money was back in my account within 3 days. Watch Canal+ With CyberGhost Now
3. Private Internet Access — Next-Gen Server Network for Watching Canal+
Private Internet Access (PIA) has a Next Generation network of high-speed servers that are optimized for speeds. When I tested its French servers, I found PIA’s high speeds are well-suited for streaming. I achieved 9.28 Mbps against a base speed of 10.05 Mbps. This is just a 7% drop, which is impressive considering some VPNs slow down your speeds by up to 40%. PIA has a network of over 400 servers in France, which makes it great for watching Canal+. I tried multiple of its French servers and didn’t have any trouble connecting to and watching Canal+ shows like Le Calendrier and La Flamme. The only drawback worth pointing out with PIA is that it might not appear very user-friendly to a beginner. Its app has lots of customization options, which can be confusing to a new user. However, the app comes pre-configured, so you don’t need to tinker with any settings if you only want to watch Canal+. Simply select a server in France, click connect, and start enjoying French shows and films. PIA has 3 payment plans, with the cheapest plan starting at $2.03/month. I recommend going for the long-term plans, which allow you to save up to 82%. You can take advantage of PIA’s 30-day money-back guarantee to try it out risk-free. I found the process of requesting a refund from PIA to be quite simple, and it took just 6 days for the money to be back in my PayPal account. Watch Canal+ With PIA Now
4. IPVanish — Unlimited Connections for Watching Canal+ on Multiple Devices
One thing I like about IPVanish is that it supports unlimited simultaneous device connections. This makes it a great choice when you’re traveling with family or a group of friends. Everyone in the group can connect to IPVanish and watch their favorite Canal+ channel. My speeds remained the same even when I was connected to multiple devices. I got 7.46 Mbps against base speeds of 8.5 Mbps, which is about a 12% drop, which was enough for bufferless streaming. IPVanish has 35+ servers in France located in Bordeaux, Marseille, and Paris. I tested multiple of these servers by switching between the different locations, and all of them were able to unblock Canal+. I was also able to unblock other French streaming platforms, including Netflix France, France24, TV5 Monde, and Arte France. The only downside with IPVanish is that it is not always reliable at unblocking other streaming platforms. However, if you only want to watch Canal+ while traveling, this shouldn’t be a deal breaker since all IPVanish French servers that I tested effectively unblocked Canal+. To keep its pricing flexible, IPVanish has different pricing plans that start at $2.49/month. The long-term plans offer the best value as they allow you to save up to 77%. IPVanish has a 30-day money-back guarantee. This gives you an opportunity to try IPVanish with confidence since you can request a refund if it doesn’t meet your needs. I was pleasantly surprised when IPVanish processed and issued my refund within 24 hours after I initiated the request. I was also impressed that you can request a refund through the account portal, without even having to speak to a customer support agent. Watch Canal+ With IPVanish Now
5. PrivateVPN — Easy-to-Use VPN for Watching Canal+
I was quickly impressed by PrivateVPN’s ease of use. All its apps have an intuitive user, so you’ll quickly get the hang of it, regardless of your technical expertise. It also has a minimalistic “Simple View” mode that makes it very beginner-friendly. The simple mode hides all the advanced privacy and security configurations, leaving you with a single button. All you need to do is select a French server, click on the connect button, and start enjoying Canal+. While PrivateVPN is not as fast as other VPNs, such as ExpressVPN, it still has speeds that are fast enough for uninterrupted streaming. When I tested PrivateVPN, I achieved speeds of 5.8 Mbps, compared to 6.3 Mbps without a VPN, which is just a 7.9% speed loss. This was enough for me to watch Canal+ films without having to wait for scenes to load. PrivateVPN’s only downside is that it doesn’t have a large server network in France. However, the servers it has in the country are very reliable and will effectively unblock Canal+ and other French streaming sites. You can get PrivateVPN on monthly or year-long plans, though I recommend going for long-term plans as they are usually the most affordable, with prices starting at $2/month. PrivateVPN lets you try its services for free with its industry-standard 30-day money-back guarantee. I asked for a refund after testing it and found the entire process to be very smooth. The money was back in my bank account within 7 days of requesting a refund. Watch Canal+ With PrivateVPN Now
6. Proton VPN — Custom Connection Profiles to Automatically Unblock Canal+
Proton VPN lets you create connection profiles that automatically connect you to servers in a specific country whenever you go online. I created a profile for France, and whenever I selected this profile, Proton VPN automatically connected me to servers in France, allowing me to watch Canal+. It has more than 60 French servers for you to choose from. I found Proton VPN speeds good enough for watching Canal+. In my tests, I got speeds of 6.5 Mbps compared to 7.3 Mbps without the VPN. This is about a 10.9% loss in speeds, which is still okay considering some VPNs reduce your speeds by up to 40%. These speeds allowed me to watch the whole of La Fracture in HD without any delays or buffering. The only thing I did not like about Proton VPN is the lack of live customer support. However, it has a knowledge base with information about most of the issues you might encounter. Proton VPN has multiple plans, with the cheapest plan starting at $4.99/month. Choosing Proton VPN’s long-term plans allows you to save up to 50%. Proton VPN also has a 30-day money-back guarantee that you can use to try the VPN risk-free and determine whether it works for you. To confirm that the money-back guarantee actually works, I requested a refund after using Proton VPN for a week. The support agent tried to convince me to stay, but eventually, I got the refund after 10 days. Watch Canal+ With Proton VPN Now
7. Hotspot Shield — Unique Technology for Watching Canal+ in HD
Hotspot Shield uses a proprietary VPN protocol known as Catapult Hydra, which maximizes speed for streaming. When I tested Hotspot Shield, there was no noticeable speed difference between my regular (non-VPN) connection and my Hotspot Shield connection. With Hotspot Shield, I got 7.3 Mbps compared to 8.1 Mbps without the VPN, a 9.8% speed loss. The fast speeds allowed me to stream live Ligue 1 matches in HD without any buffering. While Hotspot Shield has just 2 server locations in France, it is still ideal for watching Canal+. It also unblocks other French TV sites and streaming platforms like Molotov TV, Netflix France, Winamax TV, and TV5 Monde. I was impressed that Hotspot Shield supports up to 5 simultaneous device connections. This is very useful if you want to share your VPN with multiple people, such as your family or friends. Hotspot Shield has multiple plans starting at $2.99/month. The downside is that they’re quite expensive. However, the longer plans offer the best value for money, allowing you to save up to 77%. It is also backed by a 45-day money-back guarantee, which lets you test the VPN and get a refund if you don’t like it. When I requested a refund after trying the service for a month, the agent asked why I canceled my subscription. I simply explained that I didn’t need a VPN anymore, and they went on to process my refund, which I got in a week’s time. Watch Canal+ With Hotspot Shield Now
Can I get French TV channels in the UK?
There are some French TV channels that are freely available in the UK, such as France24, BFM TV and LCP. However, you’ll need a VPN to watch shows that are only available on Canal+ or other premium French streaming platforms like France.tv and TV5 Monde. This is because most French TV channels are geo-blocked outside France. It’s good to note that Canal+ does not include English subtitles on its shows and films. Most local shows on Canal+ are broadcasted in French without any subtitles. If you want to watch international shows on the platform, you’ll find some that have been translated to French, while those that haven’t been translated will be shown with French subtitles.
Can I use a free VPN to access Canal+?
You might find free VPNs with servers in France, but I strongly advise against using them to watch Canal+. First, many free VPNs have a limited number of servers, leading to server overcrowding. This results in slow speeds that are not suitable for streaming. It also encourages “abnormal” IP usage, which leads to free VPNs constantly getting blacklisted by platforms like Canal+. Second, since free VPNs are not making money from you, they often make money by collecting data about your browsing habits and selling it to third parties. I wouldn’t encourage you to use a VPN that compromises your online safety and privacy in any way. To avoid all this, I recommend using a reputable VPN like ExpressVPN, which has super-fast speeds, a large server network in France, and takes your online privacy seriously.
What devices can I watch Canal+ on?
Canal+ works on a wide variety of devices and platforms, including: ExpressVPN, which is my top recommendation for watching Canal+, works well with all these devices.
Is Canal+ free?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to watch Canal+ for free. You have to buy a subscription. Canal+ offers 3 pricing plans ranging from €20–€35 per month. If you’re outside France, you’ll also need to use a VPN to watch Canal+. A VPN lets you hide your real IP address behind a French one, allowing you to watch Canal+ from anywhere in the world. Try ExpressVPN Risk-Free Now
Start Watching Canal+ Now
Traveling outside of France doesn’t mean you have to miss your favorite Canal+ shows, films, and programs. All you need is a VPN to change your IP with a French one so you gain access to Canal+. After testing multiple VPNs, I found ExpressVPN to be the best for watching Canal+ from anywhere. It has blazing-fast speeds for HD streaming and reliable French servers. It offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, which lets you try it for yourself at no risk. If you don’t like it, you can get a full refund.
To summarize, the best VPNs for watching Canal+ are…
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