How can a distance education student get a copy of the lecture notes?
Some comments and the already given answer give advices that can be counter-productive in France. You mention that this is about a research level course so I understand that this is a "Master 2 recherche" course.

It is unlikely, for privacy reasons, that someone will give you email addresses of other students. My advice is to ask the professor to forward to a few targeted students your request.

Going to the department chair/dean will probably be useless. If you really want to go up the ladder, ask to the person in charge of the master 2. But it will probably be useless too since in the French system professors are free to do as they want for their lectures. For those surprised by that last sentence, keep in mind that having lecture notes in pdf and a list of recommended textbooks is something that you don't have in all lectures in France.