The France Police have begun a manhunt for an armed man who attacked a retirement home, in the southwestern part of the country, killing one woman.

Reports say a caretaker contacted the police after freeing herself up from being bound and gagged by the suspect.

On entering the building, police found the body of a woman who had been stabbed several times.

The home houses retired missionaries that had worked in Africa as well as a few nuns.

A police official according to Reuters, said “the 60 residents of the facility were out of danger” as they have been evacuated and “the search is continuing in a larger perimeter with help from a helicopter and police dogs”.

France is on heightened alert and has been under a state of emergency since a wave of Islamist attacks in 2015.