Netflix is always launching new versions all over the globe. But the American version – where it all started, remains the richest library of shows and movies. The French version compares dimly, and that includes when compared with other versions all over the world.
French Netflix currently offers just a little over 1,200 shows and just over 2,500 movies, while its American counterpart provides well over 1,800 shows and more than 4,000 films. And despite this significant disparity, the French pay more for their subscription than Americans. French Netflix fans may find this unfair, and it’s completely understandable when they demand more from the service.
The Easy Way to Watch American Netflix in France
Fortunately, as a French Netflix consumer, you don’t need to relocate to enjoy what American Netflix offers. You can access it using a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Setting up a VPN doesn’t have to be complicated either. All you need to do is:
- Register with a VPN that can unblock American Netflix
- Download and install the VPN app on your device
- Open the app and sign in to your account
- Choose a US server
- Launch the app, or if you prefer, log in to the Netflix website
- Stream American Netflix
A VPN is a great way to view out-of-country content, but not all VPNs will do the work. When it comes to bypassing streaming restrictions, ExpressVPN is the most reliable. This network features superfast connection speeds, and it’s pleasantly affordable considering all it has to offer.
Why American Netflix Is Not Available in France
For industry outsiders, why French Netflix has to be different from American Netflix can be a bit mindboggling. According to Netflix, the discrepancy between the content available for both platforms arises out of the issue of holding rights.
The only shows Netflix has the full discretionary power to air are the ones it has produced. For shows and movies produced by other studios or television networks, Netflix has to purchase the rights to air them in a particular country.
Entertainment companies sell the rights to their content by country. And Netflix is usually among many bidders for any show or movie produced. Ultimately, it wins some and loses some. The end result is that it will air different content in different geographical locations – which in this case is determined by a country.
Still, given its clout and longevity in the industry, it should come as no surprise that it ends up airing more content than almost every other service in France, and indeed the world over.
Any subscriber to the service automatically gets access to Netflix content, wherever they are. Your Netflix logins will work the same way, whether you are in France or America. The only caveat is content differs from country to country, and you can only access content available for a particular country, and not the content that you’re used to seeing back home.
Why You Can’t Access American Netflix in France
For Netflix, violating the purchasing agreement would be illegal. Therefore, it has to confine content to the specific country where it has a license to air. To achieve this, the company uses a technique known as geo-blocking.
Each country in the world is allocated a range of IP addresses that are used to identify a device’s location whenever it accesses the internet. Netflix uses the IP ranges for each country to determine where a user logs in from, and then automatically reroutes them to the Netflix catalog for that region.
How Netflix Prevents Non-residents from Streaming American Content
Netflix recently implemented anti-VPN measures due to pressure from media companies. When the industry got wind that millions of users were viewing content outside of licensed regions, demands were placed on Netflix to take charge and honor distribution terms and agreements.
Netflix has since embarked on an anti-VPN campaign, blocking external servers from accessing its website. And it has succeeded, but only to an extent. This is because VPN blocking is not rocket science, and there are plenty of ways to bypass it.
How a VPN Helps You Bypass Netflix’s Restriction
A virtual private network is a tool that allows internet users to keep their online activity out of the prying eyes of third parties, e.g., malicious actors, governments, or in this case, subscription services. It does this by encrypting your internet and traffic. With this function, it makes it appear as if you’re logging in from a different location than the one you’re actually in.
A VPN redirects your data through an external server – i.e., the VPN server, before sending it to the site you want to visit. This hides the IP address your data is tagged with and identifies it with the IP address of the server – for this reason, your real location is masked.
Most VPNs typically have servers around the globe; hence, it’s possible to reroute your traffic through a server in any country, such as America. When your data passes through this server, Netflix will recognize it as originating from the US, and you will be automatically directed to access the American Netflix library.
The Best VPN to Watch American Netflix in France
- Unconditional 30-day money-back guarantee
- No activity logs and no connection logs
- Easy-to-use apps for all devices
VPN providers can easily change their IP addresses and employ other techniques to obfuscate their activity. But there’s a catch. Not all VPNs have the resources to achieve this, meaning a lot of VPNs cannot unblock Netflix.
Most people who want to stream American Netflix via a VPN can’t tell which one is most reliable. These people might want to consider ExpressVPN. This service makes optimal use of its resources, keeping American Netflix open to fans.
Here are ways in which ExpressVPN trounces other VPNs in accessing out-of-country Netflix:
- Swift Connection: ExpressVPN features some of the fastest connection speeds, ensuring you stream high definition videos without a glitch.
Using overseas servers can sometimes cause a lag in connection speeds, leading to frame dropping, low resolution, buffering, and other problems. ExpressVPN takes care of these.
- Worldwide Servers: ExpressVPN boasts 160 server locations in more than 94 countries, with well over 3,000 servers.
French Netflix enthusiasts can access their favorite movies and TV shows at the American Netflix library, or indeed whichever country they wish. The numerous servers also enable top-notch video performance and uninterrupted uptimes.
- Unparalleled Protection: With an OpenVPN AES 256-bit encryption and SHA-512 HMAC authentication, ExpressVPN has one of the most foolproof VPN security around. Also, this encryption is not customizable – protecting it from manipulation or hacking.
Besides, the network does not monitor user activity or keep history and connection logs, e.g., timestamps. This helps you stay safe in case of privacy breaches.
The network further uses shared IPs rather than individual IPs, ensuring no one can track you down using a single IP. Moreover, you can use Bitcoin to pay for the service to protect their payment information.
- Affordable: With an annual price of $99.95, ExpressVPN offers the best value for money. Besides, its unmatched swift connection, high-performance, and secure service make it even more cost-effective.
New users get a terrific refund agreement of up to 30 days; which allows them plenty of time to discover the service before making a purchase.
- Multi-device Support: When choosing a VPN, it’s advisable to find out how many devices it can support. Most Netflix fans would love to access their favorite content on any device that’s convenient at any specific time.
Thankfully, ExpressVPN has them covered, with app support for almost all popular device platforms including Windows, Mac, Android, Blackberry, iOS, iPhone, iPad, Linux, and/ routers.
- Customer Support: ExpressVPN, guarantees you a smooth streaming experience. No matter where you are.
However, if you’re using it for the first time and need guidance, or you want to learn new tricks and ideas. The service has a live, 24/7 chat option on their website that helps you sort out any challenges you may be facing. Customers can also trouble-shoot common issues by searching for info on the website’s search-enabled support centre.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of France Netflix and want to explore what’s in the stateside, ExpressVPN is your reliable friend. Its ability to bypass geo-restrictions, super-fast connections, unassailable security, global coverage, and round-the-clock customer support make it the best VPN to access the US version of Netflix.
