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A man armed with a knife and possible explosives has barricaded himself inside a budget hotel in southern France, it is reported.

Police have surrounded the low-cost Formule 1 hotel in the town of Bollene, with traffic blocked from travelling down the road.

The building has been evacuated, while military officers and firefighters are stationed near the scene, according to local media.

"A deranged man is holed up in the Formule 1 hotel," a spokeswoman for the local police prefecture told Reuters.

(Image: BFMTV)

The man's motives were not immediately known, she added.

However, the suspect is thought to be armed with a knife and may have an explosive device, a local gendarme officer said.

Other reports say the man may have a gun in his possession.

This afternoon, a Twitter user posted a photo showing emergency vehicles parked outside the hotel, situated near the A7 motorway.

(Image: BFMTV) (Image: Google)

The user wrote that there was an armed man 'hiding' in the building.

The suspect is believed to have entered the hotel in the country's Vaucluse department at around 1.45pm local time (12.45pm UK time).

The police perimeter around the hotel stretches 820 feet.

This story is developing.