Bernard Laporte will succeed Philippe Saint-Andre as manager of Toulon after being appointed by club president Mourad Boudjellal..
Former international Saint-Andre has already agreed to become France coach when current boss Marc Lièvremont's contract expires at the end of the World Cup in New Zealand.
Boudjellal said Laporte, who coached France from 1999-2007, had accepted a two-year deal to manage the big-spending Top 14 side who this season compete in the Amlin Challenge Cup.
Laporte spent the bulk of his playing career with Bordeaux-Begles and coached the side for two seasons before moving to Stade Français (1995-1999) and, in 1999, becoming the first coach of France never to have been picked at international level.
After hosts France finished fourth at the 2007 World Cup, Laporte was appointed French minister for sport, a post he remained in until 2009.
"I've rarely seen someone who speaks so much about rugby, he is really passionate about the game," said Boudjellal.
"Bernard isn't coming here to revolutionise things, it will be more of an evolution."