Art lovers returned to the Louvre in Paris on Saturday, February 4, 24 hours after a soldier shot a machete-wielding attacker at the museum, believed to be an Egyptian who entered the country a week ago, AFP reports.

The incident on Friday thrust security and the terror threat back into the limelight three months before elections in France, with authorities saying it was a "terrorist" assault.

It also threatened to deal another blow to Paris' lucrative tourism industry which has been badly affected by a string of attacks since 2015.

At the Louvre on Saturday, a crowd had formed at the main entrance as the doors re-opened to the first visitors of the day on schedule at 09:30 am (0830 GMT).

Soldiers in uniform with machine guns could be seen patrolling as usual, with routine bag checks also undertaken by Louvre security staff.