How safe is torrenting in France?

While online discussions will make you believe torrenting is safe in France, you shouldn’t let your guard down. ARCOM routinely blocks torrenting sites like YggTorrent, and downloading the wrong thing could attract serious fines for repeat offenses.

Legal risks aside, using shady torrent sites could also put your system in danger due to cyber attackers and malware-infected files.

Below, we explore how you may get caught torrenting copyrighted content in France and the repercussions of doing so. We also discuss securing your torrenting activity with a VPN (and which settings to use). Lastly, we answer some frequent questions on the topic.

How do you get caught torrenting in France?

French ISPs work closely with ARCOM to monitor their subscribers’ torrenting. Without a VPN to mask your online activity, your Internet provider can see whether you’ve accessed torrenting websites and what kind of content you download.

A less common practice is for French law firms (or ARCOM-related agencies) to look for French IP addresses on peer lists for the latest high-profile torrents. Say, a new movie or video game release. Your IP reveals your approximate location and ISP, so any authorized agency can contact your provider about potential copyright infringements.

So, what happens if you get caught torrenting illegally in France? We address this in the next section, so keep reading.

What are the legal risks of torrenting in France?

France operates on a warning system, so you won’t get fined immediately if caught. According to Les Numériques, over 14 million warnings were sent out by HADOPI between its establishment in 2009 and 2021. Meanwhile, only 517 fines were handed out, with an average of €290 (£243.35) reported in 2021.

HADOPI and the CSA merged in 2022 to form ARCOM, the new agency tasked with fighting media piracy in France. The agency seems satisfied with the figures above and has reported seeing a significant decline (nearly 75%) in repeat offenses after the initial warnings.

Despite these low figures, we still recommend sticking to legal means of consuming content. We also suggest securing your torrenting activity against port scanning, DoS/DDoS, and other risks, including scams known as copyright trolls. Read on to see how.

How to torrent safely in France

We have a full guide on how to torrent safely in any country, but these are the main points to follow.

1. Get a VPN

Installing and using a capable torrenting VPN is your best option to stay safe when torrenting in France. Not just any provider will do, so use one that doesn’t log your data, has excellent torrenting support, and unbreakable encryption and leak protection.

VPNs (or virtual private networks) maintain your privacy by spoofing your IP address in the swarm. They also secure your torrenting through complex encryption algorithms, turning your traffic into complete gibberish to any outsiders.

At most, your ISP can see your real IP (since they allocate it to you) and high bandwidth usage but won’t know whether you’re torrenting or just binging 4K content on Netflix.

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Setting up your VPN for secure torrenting

Before you use a VPN to torrent in France, here are some important steps to follow:

While some VPNs have full torrenting support, many providers offer dedicated P2P servers you should connect to instead.
Turn on the kill switch from the VPN’s settings, so your IP doesn’t leak when your connection drops.
Use Browserleaks or similar sites to check your VPN for potential leaks.
Check out how to split tunnel torrent traffic properly if you plan on using the setting for a little boost in download speeds.
To ensure all torrent traffic goes strictly through the VPN, learn how to bind your VPN IP to the torrent client by following the link.
A better option is to have the torrent client use the VPN’s network interface. To activate the setting on qBittorrent, navigate to Tools > Options > Advanced and click on Network interface to choose the VPN adapter.

Here’s an example of what it looks like using NordVPN’s NordLynx.

Depending on your provider and connection, your adapter might have a generic name such as “Local Area Connection 2” or “Ethernet 2.” You can find the right one by navigating to one of these sections:

Windows: Click Start, search for Control Panel, and access Network and Internet > Network Connections.
Mac: Click on the Apple menu, and go to System Settings > Network.

We suggest testing this setting by downloading a torrent from The Internet Archive, fosstorrents, or any other free torrent directory.

2. Use an antivirus

A VPN may help against copyright trolls and cyber attackers, but most don’t offer full system scans. Even sticking to legal torrent sites isn’t 100% safe, as you never know when a malicious actor might upload malware disguised as copyright-free media.

See our list of the best antivirus providers if you’re unsure what your options are.

What are the best VPNs for safe torrenting in France?

Here’s a quick rundown of our top-rated VPNs for torrenting:

NordVPN: Best VPN for safe torrenting in France. Offers fantastic speeds and thousands of P2P-optimized servers in 110+ countries worldwide. Includes a proven no-logs policy, impenetrable encryption, and other security features to make torrenting in France as safe as possible. Comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Surfshark: Ideal for safe torrenting in France on a budget. Delivers fast and stable connections aided by advanced Nexus technology. Lets you connect unlimited devices simultaneously. Equipped with WireGuard for top-notch download speeds in France.
IPVanish: Reliable and torrent-friendly VPN, with solid encryption and plenty of security features to safeguard your torrenting activity in France.
ExpressVPN: Great option for beginners and advanced users alike. Provides incredible torrenting speeds in France and has a zero logs policy.
PrivateVPN: Minimalistic apps, fantastic security options, and a strict no-logs policy make this a fantastic choice for torrenting safely in France.
PureVPN: One of the fastest torrenting VPNs on the market, especially in France. Has a no-nonsense no-logs policy.
Proton VPN: Security-focused VPN, with robust encryption, an audited no-logs policy, and open-sourced apps. VPN Accelerator included.

How safe is torrenting in France – FAQs

Are torrents illegal in France?

No, torrents are not illegal in France. That said, using torrents to download protected content (whether it’s movies, music, or others) is still against the law. Fines for downloading illegal torrents in France averaged €290 (£243.35) in 2021.

Is France strict on piracy?

Users on Reddit and other forums report that France isn’t strict on piracy, with multiple people specifying that avoiding French torrent sites (like YggTorrent) and torrenting non-French content might be overlooked entirely. Despite that, we still recommend erring on the side of the law, and not torrenting copyrighted content in France.

Can you be tracked when torrenting?

Yes, you can be tracked when torrenting. Your real IP address is visible in the torrent swarm, which can be traced back to your location and ISP. Moreover, your ISP can monitor your torrenting activity, unless you use a VPN to spoof your IP and encrypt (or mask) your traffic.

Is a VPN safe enough for torrenting?

For the most part, a proper VPN is safe enough for torrenting, provided the vendor doesn’t store user logs, has strong encryption options and a kill switch, and is free of IPv6, DNS, and WebRTC leaks. Our only other recommendation is to use a reliable antivirus to scan any torrent files against dangerous malware.

Can I use a free VPN to download torrents in France?

While you can use a free VPN to download torrents in France, we don’t recommend it. There are only a handful of trustworthy free VPNs for torrenting on the market, and they usually have a monthly data cap.

Other free VPNs log your data to cover operational costs, meaning anyone (including ARCOM) can ask the provider to hand over your activity logs if they believe you’ve been downloading copyrighted materials.

Which country to use for torrenting?

The best server country to use for torrenting is one that’s closest to your location. If your provider has P2P servers in France, it’s best to use those to minimize the impact on your torrenting speeds.

Will a VPN hide torrenting from my ISP?

Yes, a VPN hides your torrenting activity from your ISP, and anyone else snooping in on your connection (such as a network admin). The only two things a VPN doesn’t hide from your ISP are your IP address (as they assign it to you) and your overall data usage.

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