Explosive devices were found on Monday outside two tax offices in the city of Bastia, northern Corsica, public broadcaster France 3 and other local media reported.

The Paris prosecutor's office, which deals with terrorism cases across France, said it was investigating suspected terrorism and explosives offenses.

Public Accounts Minister Gerard Darmanin condemned what he described as a "cowardly attempted attack," writing on Twitter: "To attack a tax center is to attack the Republic."

The incident comes three days before President Emmanuel Macron is due to visit southern Corsica, as he winds up a national consultation process he launched in response to the Yellow Vests protest movement.

The main armed separatist movement on the Mediterranean island, the Corsican National Liberation Front (FLNC), laid down its weapons in 2014 after a decadeslong campaign.

Moderate nationalists won regional elections in late 2017, but Macron, while promising more decentralized powers, has resisted their demands for autonomy and a bigger role for the Corsican language.