In 2002, he joined Qatari club Al-Ittihad, staying in the Persian Gulf region for just six months, before moving to France, where he joined the then Ligue 2 outfit FC Lorient, following a successful trial. It was here that Koné rose to fame. In his first season at the club, he scored 10 respectable goals, but then bagged an impressive 24 in 35 appearances in the 2004–05 season, earning him the "Player of the Year" and "Top Scorer" titles in the Ligue 2. At the end of the season, Lorient narrowly missed out on promotion to Ligue 1, and with speculation mounting linking the Ivorian to top flight sides such as OSC Lille, RC Strasbourg and AJ Auxerre, Koné received a standing ovation in his final appearance for his club. In the summer, Koné finally made his move, relocating to the French Riviera at top flight side OGC Nice, where he signed a four-year contract.