A Frenchman described as "radicalised" was arrested in Morocco Wednesday after flying there with low-cost airline Ryanair with knives and a gas bottle in the hold, a local government official said.

The 31-year-old man, who had been under house arrest in France, was held on his arrival in Fez, where authorities discovered the items in his luggage, which also included a black balaclava.

He took the flight from Nantes in western France, despite heightened security in the country which is still under a state of emergency imposed after an Islamic State attack on Paris in November that left 130 people dead.

The Dublin-based carrier Ryanair told AFP the case was "the responsibility of Nantes airport security officials who are investigating".