A man has escaped from a prison in France by hiding in a bag belonging to his cellmate who was being released after finishing his sentence, an official told local media.

The escaped prisoner "took advantage of the liberation of his fellow inmate to hide himself in his luggage and get out," the prison service said.

A man has allegedly escaped a French prison by hiding in the bag of a fellow inmate who was leaving prison after serving their sentence, local media reports. The prison service has launched an investigation after the man escaped from Lyon-Corbas prison in south-east France on Friday,