How to watch Chinese live TV and shows in France
In short: France is 6–7 hours behind Beijing, so China’s evening live broadcasts land at lunchtime and in the afternoon; in the evening you’ll mostly watch on demand and replays. When a show says “only available in mainland China”, install Homeway on an Android TV, a Google TV box, your phone or your computer and light the moon gate. Samsung and LG TVs and most Freebox, Livebox and Bbox boxes can’t install it, but a Google TV box plugged into the TV solves that.
Time difference: 7 hours in winter, 6 in summer
Metropolitan France is in one time zone (the overseas departments have their own). From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October it’s on summer time, CEST (UTC+2), and Beijing is 6 hours ahead; the rest of the year it’s on CET (UTC+1), and Beijing is 7 hours ahead. Beijing doesn’t change its clocks. France went back to CET on October 25, 2026 and moves to CEST again on March 28, 2027.
Here are some common Beijing times and what they are in France (French time is always behind; dates are noted where it crosses midnight):
| Beijing time | France, winter (CET) | France, summer (CEST) |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 a.m. | 1:00 a.m. same day | 2:00 a.m. same day |
| 12:00 noon | 5:00 a.m. | 6:00 a.m. |
| 7:00 p.m. CCTV evening news (Xinwen Lianbo) | 12:00 noon | 1:00 p.m. |
| 8:00 p.m. | 1:00 p.m. | 2:00 p.m. |
| 10:00 p.m. | 3:00 p.m. | 4:00 p.m. |
| Midnight (next day) | 5:00 p.m. previous day | 6:00 p.m. previous day |
China’s whole evening prime time falls over the French lunch break and afternoon. Catching a live stream on your phone over a long lunch, then watching on demand on the TV at home in the evening, is the usual rhythm for following Chinese TV in France.
What time is the 2027 Spring Festival Gala in France?
The Gala starts at 8:00 p.m. Beijing time on February 5 (New Year’s Eve). France is on winter time then, so that’s 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 5, and the midnight countdown is at 5:00 p.m. If you’re at work or school, watch the opening on your phone over lunch and the full replay on the TV with family and friends in the evening; the major video apps usually carry it, and it plays with Homeway too. See watching the Spring Festival Gala abroad.
International versions vs. China versions
Some Chinese video apps have an international edition that works in France without any help, but its catalogue differs from the China version, and many dramas, variety shows and live channels simply aren’t there. The China versions have the full catalogue, but open them in France and you’ll often see “only available in mainland China”.
Homeway works with the China versions: Tencent Video, iQIYI, Youku, Mango TV, Bilibili, Migu Video and Yangshipin, plus QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music. The full list is on supported apps. For members-only content, sign in to your own account in that app; Homeway only deals with region restrictions and doesn’t sell memberships.
Which TVs and boxes work in French homes
The Homeway TV app runs on Android TV and Google TV. What matters is the operating system, not the brand:
| Device | Works? |
|---|---|
| Sony, Philips, TCL | Depends on the system: models running Google TV or Android TV work; others don’t. |
| Samsung, LG | No. Very common in France, but Tizen and webOS don’t support third-party Android apps. See watching on Samsung and LG TVs. |
| Provider boxes: Freebox, Livebox, Bbox, SFR | Mostly no. A few models run Android TV and open the Google Play Store, and those are worth a try; if Google Play won’t open, it won’t work. |
| Google TV boxes (Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer) | Yes, and the easiest option. |
| Fire TV Stick | We haven’t tested it yet, so we don’t recommend buying one for this. |
If your TV can’t install it, you don’t need a new TV. Pick up a Google TV box at Fnac, Darty, Boulanger or online and plug it into an HDMI port; your TV and provider box keep working as before, and you switch the input to the box when you want Chinese TV. To check whether a TV runs Google TV, look for “Google TV” on the home screen or see whether it opens the Google Play Store.
Is French broadband fast enough?
Homeway only relays the playback authorization and stream address requests; the video itself downloads straight from the server nearest to you, so picture quality depends on your own connection. For reference, 1080p needs a steady 5 Mbps or more and 4K needs 15–25 Mbps. Fibre (la fibre) is widespread in French cities and handles 4K with room to spare; on ADSL, 1080p is usually fine but 4K may struggle.
When it does buffer, Wi-Fi is the usual suspect: the provider box often sits in a corner where the fibre comes in, far from the TV in the living room or bedroom. Connect the TV or box by Ethernet where you can, or move the router closer. In student residences and flat shares, evening congestion on a shared network is common, so drop to 1080p first. More fixes are in what to do about buffering.
Prices shown in euros
New users get a free 7-day trial on first sign-in, on TV, phone and computer, with no card required. After the trial you move to the free plan, which you can keep using on one phone. TVs, tablets and computers need Standard (2 devices) or Family (5 devices), billed monthly. Open the pricing page from France and prices are shown in EUR.
Getting started on TV, phone and computer
TV: a Google TV box or Android TV
- Install the Homeway TV app following the TV install guide (search for “Homeway” on Google Play, or enter
homeway.tv/tvin a browser). - Scan the QR code on the TV with your phone to sign in, then light the moon gate.
- Install the TV apps you want, such as CCTV’s TV app or the TV apps of Tencent Video and iQIYI, and open them to watch.
Phone: live TV over lunch
- On Android, see the Android install guide; on iPhone, download it from the App Store.
- Sign in with an email code and light the moon gate.
- Open Yangshipin, Tencent Video, iQIYI or another app, and region-blocked shows will play. For CCTV channels, see watching CCTV live abroad.
Computer
- On Windows, install the Windows app; on a Mac, use the browser extension for Chrome, Edge or Firefox.
- Sign in, light the moon gate and watch on the Bilibili, iQIYI or Youku websites in your browser.
FAQ
Can I sign in to a membership account I registered in China?
Yes. Homeway doesn’t change your accounts: sign in to the video app with the account you registered in China, and your membership benefits stay the same. Homeway only deals with region restrictions; memberships are something you buy in each app yourself.
Can I install Homeway on a Freebox or Livebox?
Mostly not. Provider boxes usually don’t allow third-party apps, though a few models run Android TV and open the Google Play Store, and those are worth a try. The safest option is to plug in a Google TV box and switch with your TV’s input button.
I only have a Fire TV Stick. Will it work?
We haven’t tested Fire TV yet, so we can’t promise it works. To be safe, use a Google TV box or a TV running Google TV; those are devices the Homeway TV app clearly supports.
How do the times change when France switches to summer time?
Beijing doesn’t change its clocks, so it’s 7 hours ahead of France on CET and 6 hours ahead on CEST. The 7 p.m. CCTV evening news, for example, is at noon in France in winter and 1 p.m. in summer. France is on CET from October 25, 2026 until March 28, 2027.
How do I pay for Homeway in France?
New users start with a free 7-day trial, no card required. After that you can keep using it free on one phone; for TVs, tablets and computers you subscribe to Standard or Family, billed monthly, with prices shown in euros in France.
Related: fixing “only available in mainland China”, watching CCTV live abroad, supported apps, the Germany guide, guides for other countries.
Try Homeway
Free for 7 days for new users, no card required, on your TV, phone and computer in France.