Emmanuel Macron added that everything is "heading in the right direction" in relation to the condition of the children who were left fighting for their lives after the attack in Annecy on Thursday.

The injured children also include a boy and girl who are cousins, aged two and three, and a 22-month-old German boy.

Two adults were also attacked.

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'Backpack hero' used bag to chase knifeman

Speaking about the condition of the three-year-old British girl, who was on holiday in the area, Mr Macron is quoted by the AFP news agency as saying: "She is watching TV and [the attack] is just a bad memory already."

"Doctors are optimistic," he added.

It's understood the British girl was in the area on holiday.

France's prime minister Elisabeth Borne had earlier said all four children had undergone surgery and were in a stable condition in hospital.

Mr Macron gave his update as he visited Annecy today and met with people involved in stopping the knifeman.

Among them was Henri, the so-called "backpack hero", who used his bag to stop the attacker.

Henri told the French president he had acted instinctively as he tried to get the attacker to flee the area.

He went on to ask Mr Macron if he could be invited to the inauguration of Notre-Dame Cathedral - which was partially destroyed in a fire in 2019 - when it re-opens.

Mr Macron said he will personally make sure he is invited.

'The most barbarous of acts'

The French president also used his visit to Annecy to thank emergency workers who intervened to stop the attacker.

He told them: "You have been remarkable.

"We owe you a lot."

The French leader went on to say the children had been targeted in "the most barbarous of acts and I think that is what has shocked us".

He continued: "I wanted to thank you on behalf of the nation for what you did... Now is [the] time for you to think about yourselves, especially those who intervened first... Some [psychological] wounds will have to be healed so they don't reopen later."

Mr Macron paid a separate tribute to members of the public who intervened and said: "I am proud of what was done by our fellow citizens who simply happened to be there. I am proud of the role you took on... By just doing your duty, you did so much more than that."

"You showed the face of a France that saves, that intervenes, that heals... You have my gratitude and my admiration," he added.

Meanwhile, tearful well-wishers have visited the playground where the knife attack took place.

Attack 'does not appear to be terror-related'

Local prosecutor Line Bonnet-Mathis said one of the adults was seriously injured by both a stab wound from the attacker and a bullet wound from police as officers shot at the knifeman while trying to detain him.

French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said the suspect, a 31-year-old Syrian man, had tried to claim asylum in France but it was refused on Sunday because he had previously been granted asylum in Sweden 10 years ago.

Mr Darmanin said the suspect entered France legally, adding: "For some reasons we don't really understand, he applied for asylum in Switzerland, in Italy and in France, which he didn't need to do as he already had asylum in Sweden for the past 10 years."

Witnesses said the assailant shouted "in the name of Jesus Christ" as he launched the attack, which included stabbing a child in a pushchair repeatedly as bystanders screamed for help.

Ms Bonnet-Mathis has said the attacker's motives were unclear, but they did not appear to be related to terrorism.

One of those visiting the playground on Friday was British mother of two, Katie Jackson, 39, who spoke of the shock felt given it was a place her children "know and love".

She was in tears as she told how her son had asked to visit the park on the day of the attack.

Ms Jackson moved to the town three years ago with her husband and has two sons, Rudy, five, and Vinnie, nine months.

She said: "Locally we call this the pirate playground, because it has a pirate ship in it, it's a place that our kids know and love.

"It was my son's fifth birthday yesterday and he had mentioned he would be interested in going to the pirate place, but he was at school.

"It's a local treasure, that's why it's so shocking. I don't know anyone who hasn't visited the pirate playground."