I found the tuition fees on campusfrance, which is the official website for foreign students who wants to go into the French higher education system. They actually state: "The difference is that in France, whether you are French or foreign, the State pays most of the cost."

I also know some foreign students in French universities, who went doing masters or PhD and they pay the same as a French student. I doubt it is different for bachelor degrees.

This article from Le Monde implies that they charge foreigners the same price as French students: https://www.lemonde.fr/education/article/2014/11/26/faire-pa...

I think that you speak about "formation continue" in your first paragraph. I think that if you register of your own, you actually get the normal fees. It is only if you qualify for "formation continue" which is more restrictive than being out of school for 2 years. It seems that it means you are funded by Pôle Emploi, or a company etc (see here: https://www.univ-paris8.fr/Formation-continue). So someone who is jobless but not registered as jobless in PôleEmploi can do"formation initiale". Also: https://information-documentation.fr/scolarite/regimes-et-mo... For sure, it does not seem to be very clear.