Urban violence in France has entered a 10th night, with fresh arson attacks in suburbs of Paris and elsewhere.

Reports say that the Essonne region south of the capital and the south-western city of Toulouse are the latest to be affected.

The attacks came as the French authorities said they were determined to stop the unrest.

Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy warned of stiffer jail sentences for arsonists following Friday's damage.

More than 600 vehicles have been set on fire since Saturday, as incidents were reported in Nice, Lille, Marseille and Dijon as well as in the Paris area.

In the northern town of Evreux in Normandy, at least 50 cars were burned at a shopping centre, and a post office and two schools were also set alight.

About 250 youths have been arrested since Friday, police said.

Unrest began after the deaths of two youths in a rundown suburb of Paris.

Bouna Traore, 15, and Zyed Benna, 17, were accidentally electrocuted at an electricity sub-station in Clichy-sous-Bois after reportedly fleeing from police in an incident now being investigated.

Marches

Firefighters were called in to deal with a blaze which destroyed half a pre-school in Grigny, Essonne region, AFP news agency reported. A primary school was also slightly damaged.

A recycling facility was attacked, with 800 sq m of paper going up in flames.

Two teenagers in the suburb of Drancy northeast of Paris were handed over to police after they tried to set fire to a truck.

In Toulouse, firefighters reported 14 incidents in a second night of attacks.

During the day hundreds of people joined marches in Paris suburbs to protest against the violence.

In Aulnay-sous-Bois, which has seen some of the worst of the rioting, residents walked past burnt out vehicles and buildings with banners reading "No to violence" and "Yes to dialogue".

Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin met eight key ministers and the head of the Paris mosque, Dalil Boubakeur.

After the meeting, Mr Boubakeur urged a change in tone from the government.

"What I want from the authorities, from Mr Nicolas Sarkozy, the prime minister and senior officials are words of peace," he said.

Mr de Villepin has been holding a series of meetings with public figures and ordinary people from the affected areas as he seeks an end to the crisis.

Mr Sarkozy's description of rioters last week as "scum" (racaille) is said by many to have aggravated the situation - which was further inflamed by reports that a police tear gas grenade had gone off near a mosque.

PHOTO CAPTION

A firefighter sprays water on a burning bus in Porte de la Villette, near the Paris ringroad. (AFP)