The Paris prosecutor said it was investigating suspicions of “aggravated deception”.
VW admitted that 11 million of its vehicles were fitted with devices which allowed them to cheat emissions tests.
The automaker faces fines of up to $18 billion in the US and has already put aside $7.8 billion to pay for the scandal.
On October 2, Swiss road authorities put a ban on the sale of new VW diesel cars, as well as used imported ones.
That follows news that in the UK, sales would be suspended of 4,000 vehicles, including Skoda, Audi and Seat brands, thought to be fitted with the cheat device.
In the US, VW has also stopped the sale of all new diesel cars.
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