Speaking to France's Le Parisien newspaper, he said: "The unvaccinated, I really want to p*** them off. And so, we're going to continue doing so, until the end. That's the strategy."

His remarks have been condemned by his political opponents who said the language used was "unworthy" of the presidential office.

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Anti-vaxxers undermine 'strength of nation'

Last year, France introduced a health pass that prevents people without a negative PCR test, or proof of vaccination, from entering restaurants, cafes and other venues.

The government now wants to turn this pass into a vaccine passport, which means only the fully vaccinated will have access.

The pass, which is currently being debated in parliament, would also be mandatory on inter-regional trains and buses, and on domestic flights.

"I won't send (the unvaccinated) to prison," Mr Macron said. "I won't vaccinate by force. So we need to tell them, from 15 January, you won't be able to go to the restaurant anymore, you won't be able to down one, won't be able to have a coffee, go to the theatre, the cinema."

He said those opposed to vaccination undermine "the strength of a nation".

"When my freedom threatens that of others, I become irresponsible," he said, "an irresponsible person is no longer a citizen."

About 90% of French adults are fully vaccinated.

'Unworthy of his office'

Mr Macron's comments provoked backlash from the likes of far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who said on Twitter: "A president shouldn't say that. Emmanuel Macron is unworthy of his office."

She accused him of trying to "wage war against a portion of the French".

Opposition lawmaker Sebastien Jumel said Mr Macron "deliberately chose to add hysteria to the debate".

On the far left, presidential candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon asked: "Is the president in control of what he says?"

Health minister Olivier Veran defended Mr Macron, saying the interview demonstrated his "intention, above all, to protect the population".

Coronavirus patients are taking up more than 72% of France's intensive care unit beds, and most of them are unvaccinated.

There are more than 20,000 people hospitalised with the virus - a number that has been increasing steadily for weeks but not as sharply as the country's cases.