How to watch TV5Monde Plus abroad
This library is the streaming arm of an international broadcaster co-owned by public networks in France, Quebec, Switzerland and Belgium, which launched the joint francophone service back in 2020. TV5Monde Plus offers more than 7,000 hours of French-language films, series and documentaries for free, funded by ads, across roughly 190 countries. The catch shows up the moment you cross a border: rights to some titles are tied to a region, so your catalog shrinks while travelling or a specific show simply refuses to load.
The fix is a French server through Surfshark, which gives your connection a home-country IP again. The library snaps back to the full lineup you know, and that evening episode of a Quebec drama or a Belgian documentary streams in smooth 1080p with no buffering. Signing up is optional too, so you can just open the app and start watching whenever the mood strikes.
Can you watch TV5Monde Plus abroad?
Best VPN for TV5Monde Plus
Tested weekly by our team. Green: works, amber: partial, red: blocked.
| VPN Service | Price | TV5Monde Plus | Tested | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
SurfsharkBEST | From $1.78/mo | ✓ Works | June 13 | Try it |
ExpressVPN | From $2.79/mo | ✓ Works | June 13 | Open |
NordVPN | From $2.99/mo | ✓ Works | June 15 | Open |
ProtonVPN | From $3.59/mo | ✓ Works | June 15 | Open |
Private Internet Access | From $1.79/mo | ✓ Works | June 15 | Open |
CyberGhost | From $1.75/mo | ✓ Works | June 11 | Open |
IPVanish | From $2.19/mo | ✓ Works | June 15 | Open |
How to Unblock TV5Monde Plus with a VPN
Takes about 2 minutes. Works on your phone, tablet, TV, PC, or laptop.
- Choose a reliable VPNGo with Surfshark, which keeps fast servers across Europe. Plans start at $1.78 a month and a 30-day money-back guarantee gives you room to test it risk-free.Skip free VPNs; they throttle streaming and often resell your data.
- Connect to a server in FranceSelect a French city in the app. Your device picks up a French IP address and the francophone catalog loads in full.If one server feels slow, try another French city.
- Open the platformLaunch the website or the app for your smart TV, phone or Fire TV stick. An account is optional, so you can watch without signing up.An account helps if you want to resume an episode later.
- Start streamingPick a film, series or documentary and play it in 1080p. Switch subtitles between six languages so non-French speakers in the room can follow along.A stable connection matters most on a big screen.
Which countries is TV5Monde Plus available in?
TV5Monde Plus is available in 190 countries, including in the United Kingdom, in Australia, in Canada, in New Zealand and in Ireland. It is blocked in only 3 countries.
Available in 190 countries No VPN needed
Show all 178 more countries
TV5Monde Plus works without a VPN in the United Kingdom, in Australia, in Canada, in New Zealand, in Ireland, in Germany and in France, plus in 183 more countries.
Partially available in 1 country VPN required
TV5Monde Plus also works in the United States, but with limited content compared to fully available countries. Surfshark unlocks full access.
Blocked in 3 countries VPN required
TV5Monde Plus is blocked in the Netherlands, in the British Virgin Islands and in China. To access it, use a premium VPN like Surfshark.
Who’s behind the service?
What is TV5Monde Plus
TV5Monde Plus is the free, ad-supported streaming service of TV5Monde, the international French-language network. It is run by a consortium of France Télévisions, France Médias Monde, Radio-Canada, RTBF, RTS and Télé-Québec. Launched in September 2020, it offers more than 7,000 hours of francophone films, series, documentaries, kids’ programmes and magazines from France, Québec, Switzerland, Belgium and Africa, with subtitles in six languages. No subscription is needed and registration is optional, with access in roughly 190 countries worldwide. Since October 2025 it also carries the network’s live channels and their replays.

Company and history
- The TV5Monde consortium launched the platform worldwide across roughly 194 countries. Red Bee Media and Dotscreen built the technical backbone, and the content was free and ad-funded from day one.
- The service was rebranded to TV5MONDE+ and tightened its library around francophone films, series and documentaries. Subtitles grew to six languages, opening the catalog to non-French speakers too.
- The platform signed a syndication deal with France.tv: 6,700 hours of its content became available to viewers of the France Televisions streaming service. It was the first agreement of its kind.
- The network expanded its free FAST channel lineup on Samsung TV Plus across Europe, bringing linear francophone programming straight to Samsung smart TVs without needing to install an app.
- The platform added live streaming and replay of the network linear channels, with the exception of the Canadian TV5 Quebec feed. Viewers gained regular live television alongside the on-demand library.
- The Canadian government confirmed an investment of nearly 6 million dollars to buy French-language Canadian works for the platform from the 2026 to 2027 season. The aim is to boost the visibility of Canadian output online.
Watch on all your devices
Supported devices
Video quality
UX features
Accessibility
Tips & tricks you should know
5 tips from our TV5Monde Plus testing team · Updated June 10, 2026
- Register for free to unlock resume playback, favourite lists and offline downloads you can watch on a plane without signal.
- The catalogue changes from country to country, so connect through Surfshark to a French server abroad to see the full francophone library.
- Scroll to the bottom of the homepage for the live channels added in October 2025, shown according to your country with their replays.
- Everything streams in French, but open the player settings to switch subtitles between French, English, Spanish, German, Arabic or Romanian.
- Cast it to the big screen via Android TV, Roku, Fire TV, Chromecast or AirPlay instead of squinting at a phone, no extra box required.
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Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know before subscribing to TV5Monde Plus.
Unlock every TV5Monde Plus library worldwide
Surfshark lets you switch country and stream what TV5Monde Plus keeps in other regions. Risk-free 30-day money-back.
Part of the TV5Monde (consortium France Télévisions, France Médias Monde, Radio-Canada, RTBF, RTS, Télé-Québec) family.
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