Temps de lecture: 5 minutes

PBS-in-France

Watch PBS in France

Residing in France and want to watch some popular content titles like Secrets of the Six Wives, Unforgotten, or Sanditon? Unfortunately, these titles are available on PBS, a broadcasting service available only in the US.

To access it in France, you’d require a reliable VPN. ExpressVPN is our top choice for PBS in France.

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting service offering multiple popular TV programs including Victoria, Guilt, and Downton Abbey, that you can stream anytime you like.

However, PBS is geo-restricted and only available inside the US. Trying to access PBS or PBS Kids in France would result in an error message saying:

“We’re sorry, but this video is not available in your region due to rights restrictions.”

PBS-Error-message (1)-in-France

So, to access PBS in France, you’d require a VPN service. We tested 40+ VPNs on multiple factors. Out of them, ExpressVPN remained our top recommendation to watch PBS in France due to its 23+ US servers, robust security features, and amazing speeds.

How to Watch PBS in France [5 Easy Steps]

Follow these 5 simple steps to watch PBS in France:

  1. Subscribe to a reliable VPN service (ExpressVPN is our top choice).
  2. Download its app on your device.
  3. Launch the VPN app and log in using your username and password.
  4. Connect to a US server (ExpressVPN’s Chicago server is super fast).
  5. Visit the PBS website and stream your favorite content in France.

3 Best VPNs to Watch PBS in France [Updated 2023]

Here is a brief overview of the best VPN to watch PBS in France:

  1. ExpressVPN – The Best VPN to Watch PBS in France. Offers 3000+ servers worldwide with various servers in 25 US locations. Capable of offering super-fast speeds of 80 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. Available at EUR 6.17/mo (US$ 6.67/mo)  on its annual plan with a 3-month free subscription. Also offers a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee and 5 multi-logins.
  2. Surfshark – Budget-friendly VPN to Watch PBS. Available at an affordable price of EUR 2.3/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) and comes with a risk-free 30-day refund policy. Offers 3200+ servers worldwide with 600+ servers in 23+ US cities. Capable of offering super-fast speeds of 79 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. Offers unlimited multi-logins.
  3. NordVPN – The Fastest VPN to Watch PBS. Capable of offering blazing-fast speeds of 82.79 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. Offers 5200+ servers worldwide with 1970+ American servers in 15 US cities. Available at EUR 3.69/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) and comes with a risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee and 6 multi-logins.

The Best VPNs to Watch PBS in France [In-Depth Analysis]

Want to watch PBS in France? Well, don’t worry. We tested 40+ VPN services for you on the basis of unblocking capabilities, US servers, speeds, and compatibility. Out of these, these 3 VPNs are the best ones for streaming PBS:

1. ExpressVPNThe Best VPN to Watch PBS in France

ExpressVPN-in-France

Total Servers: 3000+ | Countries: 105| American Servers: Present in 25 US locations | Maximum Devices: 5 | Unblocks PBS: Yes | Money-back Guarantee: 30 days

ExpressVPN is the best VPN to watch the PBS website in France. This VPN offers fantastic speeds, unblocking capabilities, and security on its US servers, making itself the best all-rounder VPN for PBS in France.

ExpressVPN offers multiple US servers in 25 locations in America. We connected to its New York server and tried unblocking PBS in our country. Using this VPN, we were able to access PBS within 3 minutes.

expressvpn-us-servers-in-France

We then started watching America’s Test Kitchen using ExpressVPN and enjoyed multiple episodes of the show in HD quality and with no signs of buffering.

This amazing service led us to conduct an ExpressVPN speed test in France on its New York server, delivering super-fast speeds of 80 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection. So, we got curious and tested multiple other US servers of ExpressVPN.

Here are the US servers of ExpressVPN that we highly recommend with their speeds and playback quality:

ExpressVPN Recommended Servers Speed Test Result Video Playback Quality
Miami 81.24 Mbps HD
Washington DC 79.87 Mbps HD
San Francisco 82.56 Mbps HD

ExpressVPN offers one-click connectivity on all its apps and is compatible with almost every device, including iOS, Android, macOS, Windows, FireStick, Smart TVs, and more. We set up ExpressVPN on our router in France, which also worked great.

Along with 5 multi-logins, a 30-day money-back guarantee, and various other features, this VPN offers a price of only EUR 6.17/mo (US$ 6.67/mo) - Save up to 49% with exclusive 1-year plans + 3 months free. If you use a smartphone, you can benefit from a 7-day ExpressVPN free trial in France.

Learn more about this VPN in our detailed ExpressVPN review in France.

2. SurfsharkBudget-friendly VPN to Watch PBS

SurfShark-in-France

Total Servers: 3200+ | Countries: 100 | American Servers: 600+ in 23+ cities | Maximum Devices: Unlimited | Unblocks PBS: Yes | Money-back Guarantee: 30 days

Surfshark is a great budget-friendly VPN to watch PBS. This VPN offers a super-reliable and efficient service while costing only EUR 2.3/mo (US$ 2.49/mo) - Save up to 77% with exclusive 2-year plan + 30-day money-back guarantee.

Surfshark offers 600+ servers in the United States. We tried connecting to its Chicago server and unblocking PBS within 5 minutes which was great.

surfshark-us-servers-in-France

With no signs of buffering and consistent HD-quality streaming, we enjoyed multiple shows using Surfshark. We also conducted a Surfshark speed test in France, and the VPN gave off an average speed of 79 Mbps on a 100 Mbps connection.

Like ExpressVPN, we tested some US servers of this VPN as well. Here are the three recommended US servers of Surfshark to watch PBS in France:

Surfshark Recommended Servers Speed Test Results Video Playback Quality
New York 77.54 Mbps HD
Los Angeles 76 Mbps HD
Chicago 74.89 Mbps HD

The best thing about Surfshark is that it offers unlimited simultaneous connections to users. This means that you can connect Surfshark to as many devices as you like. We tried using Surfshark with FireStick in France and enjoyed multiple PBS titles on a bigger screen. You can also get a Philippines IP address in France with Surfshark VPN by unblocking so many streaming services like Filipino On Demand, GMA Pinoy TV, and GMA Life TV.

Lastly, Surfshark offers a 30-day money-back guarantee so users can test out all the features. In case you don’t like the service, you can just cancel your Surfshark subscription in France and ask for a refund.

Go through our detailed Surfshark review in France for further details.

3. NordVPNThe Fastest VPN to Watch PBS

NordVPN-in-France

Total Servers: 6000+ | Countries: 61| American Servers: 1,970+ in 15 cities | Maximum Devices: 6 | Unblocks PBS: Yes | Money-back Guarantee: 30 days

NordVPN is the fastest VPN to watch the PBS website. This VPN boasts 1970+ servers in the US. With such a wide server network, you will never have to face connectivity issues with NordVPN in France.

We connected to its server in Denver and tried unblocking PBS. We became successful in accessing it within 2 minutes, which was pretty cool.

nordvpn-us-servers-in-France

Then, we started streaming Indian Summers using this VPN and enjoyed the entire season with super-fast speeds and in HD. Due to such amazing speeds, we conducted a NordVPN speed test in France. On our 100 Mbps connection, the VPN delivered a blazing-fast speed of 82.79 Mbps.

Looking at such great speeds, we tested a few other servers of NordVPN as well. Here are the three recommended US servers of NordVPN to stream PBS:

Recommended Servers Speed Test Results Video Playback Quality
Denver 83 Mbps HD
Chicago 79.65  Mbps HD
San Francisco 80 Mbps HD

NordVPN offers 6 multi-logins to users and compatibility with all popular devices, including iOS, Windows, Android, FireStick, Roku, Kodi, and more.

You can get this fast VPN service at a price of just EUR 3.69/mo (US$ 3.99/mo) - Save up to 63% with exclusive 2-year plan + 3 months free for a friend along with a 30-day money-back guarantee to users. You can always cancel your NordVPN subscription in France if you feel that the service is not for you. Go through our NordVPN review in France for more details.

Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch PBS in France?

Yes, you can use a free VPN for streaming PBS in France. However, there is no guarantee it would work due to various reasons.

First, most free VPNs cannot bypass geo-restrictions and fail to unblock sites. Let’s say you find a free VPN in France that works with PBS, but you will not be able to use it. Free VPNs only offer a limited bandwidth as low as 500 MB per month, which is very low for streaming.

Along with that, these free services offer a limited number of servers that are crowded with users, thus delivering extremely slow speeds. With a free VPN, you will experience constant buffering and lags.

Similarly, a study revealed that almost 40% of the free VPNs were found to leak data, thus violating users’ right to privacy. Most free VPNs also make money by using ads, so be prepared to see intrusive ads and popups every 30 seconds or more if you are lucky.

These are some of the few reasons why you should just stick to premium, paid VPN services. Most VPNs like ExpressVPN offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can use it free of cost for 30 days to watch PBS in France and cancel anytime.

How to Create a PBS Account in France?

Follow these steps to create a PBS account in France:

1. Get ExpressVPN and connect to its US server.

Expressvpn-Australia-server-in-France

2. Visit the PBS website and click on Sign In.

pbs-website (1)-in-France

3. Choose your preferred sign-in method.

pbs-sign-in-page (1)-in-France

4. Then, verify your account, and you’re good to go! 

On What Devices Can I Watch PBS in France?

You can stream PBS in France on the following devices:

  • Android (phones, laptops, tablets, TV)
  • Apple TV (3rd gen and 4th gen)
  • iOS (iPhone and iPad)
  • Windows
  • Amazon Fire TV Stick
  • Mac
  • Samsung TV
  • Roku
  • Chromecast
  • Smart TV
  • Xbox One

How to Watch PBS in France on Devices

You can enjoy PBS’s content titles on a variety of devices. Here are the setup guides to watch PBS in France on Android and iOS:

How to Watch PBS in France on Android

  1. Subscribe to ExpressVPN and install its app from the Google Play Store.
  2. Log in and connect to a US server.
  3. Go to the Google Play Store again and search for PBS.
  4. Install the PBS app from there.
  5. Create an account and watch PBS on Android easily.

How to Watch PBS in France on iOS

  1. Change your App Store region to the US using this link. 
  2. Subscribe to ExpressVPN, download its app on your device, and log in with your credentials.
  3. Connect to a US server.
  4. Go to the App Store and search for PBS.
  5. Install the PBS app on your iOS device.
  6. Open the app, log in, and enjoy.

What Can I Watch on PBS in France?

Here are some of the most popular shows and movies that you can watch on PBS in France with a VPN:

  • Roadkill
  • Victoria
  • Finding your Roots
  • World on Fire
  • Sanditon
  • Sherlock
  • Downton Abbey
  • The Great British Baking Show
  • Frontline
  • American Experience

What is PBS Kids?

PBS Kids is a children’s network offering TV programs, games, and fun activities for kids. Some of the shows it offers include the following:

  • Sesame Street
  • The Cat in the Hat
  • Elinor Wonders Why
  • Molly of Denali
  • Arthur
  • Curious George
  • Dinosaur Train
  • Hero Elementary
  • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum
  • Pinkalicious and Peterrific

 

 

FAQs – Watch PBS in France

Yes, you can watch PBS on your computer or laptop v with a VPN. You can also watch PBS online on your laptop on the browser, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge.

PBS offers a free online streaming site for viewers, but you cannot watch it on Netflix America. However, some of the most famous PBS shows are available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.

Follow these steps to watch PBS on your Smart TV in France:

  • Configure a VPN on your router, pick a US server and connect it to your Smart TV.
  • Turn on your TV and click Home Button. 
  • From the Home Screen, select Apps.
  • Click the Magnifying Glass icon and search for PBS > Install the app.
  • Go to Home Screen and open the app > Now, you will see an activation code.
  • Copy the code and go to www.pbs.org/activate and enter your code.
  • Select Continue, and now you will be asked to sign in. That’s it. Now you can watch PBS in France on your Smart TV.

You can now watch PBS shows online in France on its official website: www.pbs.org OR you can download its app on your device and watch PBS online in France. But keep in mind, you will need a VPN to watch PBS online in France. ExpressVPN is our top choice to watch PBS in France.

No, Users can watch PBS for free on its station sites like pbs.org/video or through the PBS app. You can download its app and watch PBS for free on iOS, Android, Amazon Fire TV, Roku, Samsung TV, Apple TV, and more.

Stream Away!

There you have it. Now you know how to watch your favorite American shows on PBS . All you need to do is get a reliable VPN service and enjoy infamous PBS content titles like Victoria, World on Fire, and Frontline easily.

We highly recommend using ExpressVPN to watch PBS in France. This VPN offers 23+ US servers, great unblocking capabilities, robust security, and amazing speeds for users. It has also secured the number one Spot on our Best VPN for PBS in France Review as well.

Furthermore, ExpressVPN also offers a fantastic 3-month free subscription on its annual plan, offering users its premium service for 15 months straight.

If you have any queries, you can let us know in the comments below.