Paris police say more than 100 people have been arrested amid rioting in the French capital by yellow vest protesters.

The violence started minutes after yellow vest protesters started gathering Saturday morning around the Arc de Triomphe. They set life-threatening fires, smashed up luxury stores and clashed with police firing tear gas and water cannon.

Interior Minister Christophe Castaner said on French television that an estimated 10,000 protesters were taking in protests in Paris and another 4,500 were demonstrating around France.

That was up from about 3,000 protesters in Paris last weekend.

But the yellow vest numbers paled beside the 30,000 people taking part in a climate march weaving through Paris at the same time, according to Castaner.