Robber takes hostages at French store

French authorities say a hostage drama in the country's south involves an armed robber and is not related to the Islamic militant attacks in Paris.

French officials say a hostage drama in the country's south is not related to the attacks in Paris. (AAP)

A gunman has robbed a jewellery store in the southern French city of Montpellier and taken two women hostage, a judicial source says - but stressed the incident "had no link" to the twin hostage dramas around Paris.

"It was a robbery, it has nothing to do with what is happening in Paris," prosecutor Christophe Barret told AFP.

On Friday afternoon police received an alert that an armed man was in the shop with the two hostages.

Some five hours later elite anti-terror police were on the scene, and had blocked off a large section of the centre of the Mediterranean city.