French screen star Gerard Depardieu has complained that his home country is in danger of becoming a land of stinky cheese populated by fools.

The star of Cyrano De Bergerac and Going Places claimed France was descending into a theme park of stereotypes designed to draw in the tourists.

He added that he considered himself to be more a "citizen of the world" than French.

Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, the 67-year-old extolled the virtues of Russian president Vladimir Putin, who gave him a Russian passport in 2013.

Asked whether he still considered himself French, he replied: "No, I am a citizen of the world, France risks becoming a Disneyland for foreigners, populated by fools who do wine and cheese that stinks for tourists.

"There is no more freedom, people are manipulated."

He had a much higher opinion of Italy, saying: "In Italy, fortunately, you have not lost your culture and your identity because you are a young country, born with Garibaldi.

"Unlike half of Europe which with the fear of migrants has become a little fascist."