French security authorities arrested five women on suspicion of planning a terrorist attack.
One of the five women was particularly targeted by the investigators, according to judicial circles.
The other four belonged to the family of the main suspects.
One of them is a minor.
The women were arrested on Sunday night in the southern French city of Béziers, it said.
The newspaper "Le Point" reported that the investigators feared a planned act of violence in Montpellier.
The women are said to have been known for radical Islamist beliefs.
However, there was initially no confirmation from the public prosecutor.
Further backgrounds were initially unclear.
France has been rocked by Islamist attacks for years, killing more than 250 people.
hej / dpa