A man has been shot at the Notre Dame cathedral after trying to attack police with a hammer, amid panicked scenes in Paris.
French media said the suspect was shot in the chest. His condition is unknown.
The man was said to have tried to attack officers at the Paris police headquarters, which is next to the cathedral, French media reported.
People were evacuated from the tourist attraction around 3.45pm with reports flooding social media of shots being fired.
The shots prompted panic among visitors with the incident coming days after the London Bridge terror attack that left seven dead and 48 injured.
France is in a state of emergency since attacks by jihadists in Paris left 130 people dead in 2015.
The area around the cathedral has been closed and police have asked people to stay away.
Eyewitnesses said tourists fled for cover as the incident unfolded.
A witness at the scene said a man was “on the ground” and that police were securing the scene after two shots were fired.