If French president Emmanuel Macron is hoping for some holiday respite from the anti-government protests which have rocked France, he might want to avoid the presidential retreat along the Mediterranean coast.

Around 40 “yellow vest” demonstrators on Thursday tried to storm the medieval fort of Bregancon that serves as Mr Macron’s summer retreat before being turned back by police, the mayor of nearby Bormes-les-Mimosas, Francois Arizzi, told AFP on Friday.

“It’s madness. For people who want more democracy, they should start by respecting other people’s property,” Mr Arizzi said.

Many of the protesters had tried to infiltrate the fort by crossing private land and some indicated they would try again on Friday.

The yellow vest movement has morphed from anger over fuel taxes to a broad rebuke of Mr Macron, whom critics accuse of neglecting the rising costs of living for many in rural and small-town France.

Mr Macron came under fire last year when it emerged that he was installing a 34,000 euro ($A55,000) swimming pool at the fort, which already has its own private beach.

The presidency has refused to disclose where in fact Macron and his wife Brigitte are spending the holidays.

In Paris, where yellow vest protests have repeatedly descended into clashes with police in recent weeks, further demonstrations are planned on Saturday and New Year’s Eve.

Paris officials will move ahead with the traditional New Year’s Eve fireworks display on the Champs-Elysees — which usually attracts tens of thousands of people — despite the planned protest.

It comes as scandal swirls around Mr Macron’s former security aide who was fired over errant behaviour.

But Alexandre Benalla hasn’t finished causing trouble for the French president.

Mr Benalla, 27, was sacked in July after public uproar over his beating of a protester, and courted controversy by showing off a gun and other perks of his murky but powerful position, caused the French leader’s first major presidential crisis and discredited his efforts to clean up politics.

And now this week, news reports suggest Mr Benalla is leveraging his former presidential connections for personal gain.

Le Monde reported that Mr Benalla travelled to Chad and Cameroon for business meetings and used diplomatic passports to do so.

The visits came just before Macron himself visited Chad, raising questions about whether Mr Benalla was acting as some sort of intermediary.

Mr Benalla has said the trip was totally private and rejected suggestions he was abusing his former position.