Macron vows to hold French rioters liable, rejects Nunez's resignation

At least 2,400 people have been arrested nationwide in one of France's most violent civil riots in years.

After holding an emergency meeting with senior officials, French President Emmanuel Macron has blamed much of the insurrection on far-left agitators and stresses those who have destroyed must be held accountable.

Firefighters in France scrambled to douse the flames on Sunday. The student-led demonstrations against rising living costs and the country's education system attended by about 550,000 people have morphed into widespread rioting and looting that left trails of destruction in the streets.

A number of public buildings and landmarks are left devastated in several cities.

Shattered storefronts and destroyed glass windows littered around the hollow Place de la Republique in Paris.

Damage was also reported in other tourist and shopping districts.

The scene was no less volatile in the city of Lyon where protestors ransacked the historic building of a tourism office. Fire engulfed parts of the property on Saturday, sending columns of smoke billowing into the sky.

The sheer scale of destruction, which also saw the 19th-century City Hall in Limoges in central France collapse in flames, has thrust Emmanuel Macron's government into emergency talks.

In a presidential address to the nation, Macron has vowed perpetrators will be held accountable by judges for their crimes against the public.

He emphasises they must never confuse the rioters who "destroyed, vandalised and looted" with citizens that demonstrated with legitimate demands, and adds he completely understands their concerns.

Starting this week, the French prime minister will convene students, teachers, members of the union, local authorities and parliamentarians to iron out concrete proposals and solutions, Macron says.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez has submitted his resignation but was declined by Macron, "given the need for continued command of law enforcement in the current context," according to the Elysee Palace.

Nunez acknowledges authorities have "lost control" in some major cities on Monday and calls for improved anticipation of public mobilisations and changes to police intervention strategies.