Since the iPhone 3g was first introduced in France it has been on sale with a contract through the carrier Orange. No more are contracts required for the French! France has joined the short list of countries that have the iPhone on sale contract free.
Thanks to the ruling earlier this month by the French competition authority making the exclusive sales of iPhones by Orange illegal the door was opened for the sale of contract-free iPhones in France. The French store FNAC has jumped to this opportunity and is now selling iPhones with out a contract. Like the few other countries that sell contract free iPhones the prices are quite high starting at $1122 for an 8gb and $1262 for a 16gb.