Les Bleus qualified for the quarterfinals with the victory but were almost left with red faces after a late Samoa left them hanging on to claim a third straight win in the tournament.
England awaits next weekend for France, who will have to improve its performance if it wants to top the pool.
Trailing 23-14 with the clock running down, Tonga launched one final attack with Zane Kapeli collecting a crossfield kick for its third try, converted by Latiume Fosita.
Fortunately for the French there was barely time for a restart, but coach Jacques Brunel was unhappy with the display.
"We missed three or four chances and then we tightened up. There was tension, errors, we cannot manage the second half, especially at the start," he said.
First-half tries by Virimi Vakatawa and man-of-the-match Alivereti Raka left France 17-7 ahead at the half before Tonga hit back in the second period.
Earlier, two-time defending champion and tournament favorite New Zealand crushed Namibia 71-9, with 11 tries, topping Pool B from South Africa with one match remaining.
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