actually from the the tech log thread , the french navy did in fact hear a pinger , but only on the data tapes , via a new `cleaning` method many many months after the initial search.
@Daysleeper
i should have been clearer then , the french navy actually heard the `pinger` , or rather , they recorded it on the data tapes which were looked at `again` many months later ; using equipment designed for hunting other subs at much much higher depths than the 10000 feet of water AF447 is laying to rest