Paris Orly airport has been evacuated after a man was shot dead as he tried to seize the weapon of a soldier.

The French Interior Ministry confirmed a man had been killed after approaching a solider.

A national police official said the soldier is part of the Sentinel special force stationed around France to protect sensitive sites after a string of deadly Islamic extremist attacks.

Earlier the same man had shot a police officer at a check point north of Paris.

The individual was a radicalised Muslim known to intelligence services, a police source said.

No explosives were found on the body of the dead man.

France remains under a state of emergency.

Police evacuated part of the airport and warned visitors to avoid the airport while the operation continued.

Flights have been suspended at both terminals and some incoming flights have been diverted to Paris Charles de Gaulle.

The shooting came after a similar incident last month at the Louvre Museum.