The African champions fought hard and threatened a late comeback but had dug themselves into too deep a hole when they fell 20 points behind in the third quarter.
France took control in the middle portion of the game, scoring the final four points of the first half and then beginning the second with an 8-0 run that had them 43-27 up on Tony Parker's lay-up.
It was Parker again when France took a commanding 60-40 lead late in the third quarter.
Tunisia began the final period still 17 points down but started to chip away as Mohamed Hadiane began to rain in three-pointers.
He hit a long-range shot with a little under six minutes to go to make it 64-56.
France pushed their lead back into double figures and were 71-59 up going into the last three minutes but Tunisia rallied once more.
Salah Mejri hit a jump-shot and the outstanding Makram Ben Romdhane added a three-point play.
Hadiane's jumper made it a five-point game inside the final minute but they could not capitalise on a missed three-pointer from Parker as France came up with a crucial offensive rebound.
Nando de Colo went to the line to add two points and put the game out of reach for Tunisia, even with Hadiane's three on the buzzer.
Parker led France with 22 points while Nicolas Batum added 19 and eight rebounds.
Hadiane had 20 points - 12 of them from three-point range - and Ben Romdhane 17 for Tunisia.
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