Getting Internet in France: What to Expect in Cities, Towns & Rural Areas

When you move to France—whether to a Paris apartment, a peaceful village in Dordogne, or a farmhouse deep in the countryside—one of the first practical questions you’ll face is: How do I get reliable internet?

France is well connected compared with many European countries, with one of the fastest fibre-optic rollouts in the EU. But the experience can vary dramatically depending on where you live. From ultra-fast fibre in cities to creative solutions like 4G routers and Starlink in rural hamlets, there is always a way to stay connected—you just need to know the options.

Internet in France: The Basics

France offers three main types of internet:

1. Fibre-optic broadband (Fibre / FTTH)

• Fastest speeds in France—up to 8 Gb/s depending on the provider

• Widely available in cities and large towns, and rapidly expanding into rural areas

• Usually the best balance of speed, reliability, and price

2. ADSL / VDSL (copper-line broadband)

• Uses the existing telephone line

• Much slower, often 5–20 Mb/s

• Still common in rural areas where fibre hasn't reached

3. Mobile Internet (4G/5G routers)

• Uses a SIM card to deliver home broadband

• Surprisingly fast in areas with strong mobile coverage

• A popular option for temporary homes, rented properties, or remote living

Internet in Cities: Fast, Competitive and Well-Served

If you’re living in Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Lille, Nantes, Strasbourg, or similar cities, you’ll almost certainly be able to get fibre-optic broadband from a choice of providers.

Typical urban speeds

• Fibre: 500 Mb/s to 8 Gb/s

• ADSL/VDSL: 10–50 Mb/s (backup if fibre isn’t available)

• 5G: 300–800 Mb/s in good conditions

Best features of city internet

• Quick installation (often within 48–72 hours)

• Competitive pricing

• Options to bundle internet, mobile, TV, and home phone

Main Providers in Cities

All major French ISPs provide fibre in cities:

• Orange – the largest and often the most reliable

• SFR – strong fibre offers, competitive on price

• Bouygues Telecom – excellent value fibre deals

• Free – known for ultra-fast fibre and no-commitment plans

For most city dwellers, internet is fast, stable, and relatively inexpensive—often €25–€35 per month for fibre.

Internet in Towns: Expanding Fibre, Good 4G, and Mixed ADSL

France’s medium-sized towns and larger villages—such as Limoges, Poitiers, Brive, Foix, Cahors, Vannes, Aurillac, Annecy—are usually somewhere in the middle.

What to expect

• Fibre is increasingly available, but not everywhere yet

• Older houses may require additional cabling

• ADSL can still be decent if the property is close to the exchange

• 4G routers often perform well as an alternative or backup

Typical speeds

• Fibre: 300 Mb/s to 2 Gb/s

• ADSL: 5–15 Mb/s

• 4G/5G home routers: 30–200 Mb/s

For many expats moving to a small town, fibre access is an important part of the property-search checklist—and estate agents will usually know whether a neighbourhood is connected.

Internet in Rural France: A Different Story Entirely

Then there is la campagne—the rural heart of France. Whether it's farming country in Normandy, wooded villages in Haute-Vienne, the mountains of the Alps or Pyrenees, or the sunny fields of Gers and Dordogne, rural internet can be hit-or-miss.

The challenges

• Fibre rollout varies by region

• ADSL can be extremely slow, sometimes below 3 Mb/s

• Long distances from telephone exchanges create dropouts

• 4G/5G coverage may fluctuate

However—you will always have options, even in the middle of nowhere.

Main rural solutions

1. Fibre (where available)

Rural fibre rollout is progressing under government-backed projects. Speeds are the same as cities.

2. ADSL/VDSL

Often slow but workable for email and browsing.

3. 4G/5G Home Routers

Increasingly popular—many rural expats rely on them.

• Easy setup

• No engineer needed

• Can deliver 30–150 Mb/s depending on the nearest tower

Providers offering 4G/5G home internet include:

• Bouygues 4G Box

• SFR Box 4G+

• Orange Airbox

• Free 4G/5G router options

4. Starlink

The game-changer for rural France.

Starlink: The Rural Internet Revolution

For those living in remote areas—hamlets with six houses, villages deep in the countryside, converted barns kilometres from the nearest road—Starlink offers something that was nearly impossible a decade ago:superfast internet, almost anywhere.

What is Starlink?

A satellite-based internet system created by SpaceX that delivers high-speed connectivity even in the most remote locations.

Typical Starlink speeds in France

• Down: 100–250 Mb/s

• Up: 10–20 Mb/s

• Latency: 20–60ms

Pros

• Works almost anywhere

• Reliable for video calls, streaming, and remote work

• No dependency on local infrastructure

Cons

• Higher initial cost (€300–€450 for the kit)

• Monthly subscription around €40–€50

• Requires a clear view of the sky

Starlink is immensely popular among expats living in rural Dordogne, Charente, Bretagne, Aveyron, Creuse, Allier, Lozère, and the Pyrenees.

Major Internet Providers in France

1. Orange

• Best national coverage

• Strong customer service

• Good for rural 4G fallback

2. SFR

• Good fibre speed packages

• Sometimes patchy in rural telephone-line areas

3. Bouygues Telecom

• Popular 4G home Internet

• Affordable fibre packages

4. Free

• Innovative, cheap, and fast

• Best for those who like flexibility and top speed

5. Starlink

• Best for remote properties

• Higher cost but often the only high-speed option

Installation Times

Cities:

1–3 days for fibre.

Towns:

3–10 days, depending on cabling and local availability.

Rural areas:

Up to a few weeks if poles or overhead lines need inspection.

Starlink:

Delivered in 2–5 days, self-installation.

Tips for Choosing Internet When Moving to France

1. Check availability BEFORE signing a property contract

Use the French regulator’s official tool:maison-fibre.fr or Arcep’s “Carte Fibre” search.

2. Ask neighbours

They will tell you the truth about actual speeds.

3. Consider dual Internet

Many expats use:

• Fibre OR ADSLPLUS

• A 4G/5G router as backup

4. For remote workers

Starlink + 4G backup is the most resilient setup.

5. For second-home owners

Choose a provider with:

• No long-term contract

• Pause or cancel options (Free is best here)

Final Thoughts: Staying Connected in France

Whether you’re living high above the streets of Paris, in a medieval townhouse in a provincial centre, or in a tranquil farmhouse miles from anywhere, France offers solid internet options—if you know where to look.

Cities enjoy some of the fastest fibre speeds in Europe, towns are benefiting from an accelerating rollout, and even rural areas now have excellent solutions thanks to 4G/5G home routers and Starlink.

Wherever your adventure in France takes you, you’ll be able to stay connected. It just takes choosing the right option for the right location.