French march against gay marriage bill

Tens of thousands of people in France marched against plans to legalise same-sex marriage and allow gay couples to adopt.

Police said that while there were at least 70,000 in the streets of Paris, there were other demonstrations in the cities of Lyon, Toulouse and Marseille.

The protestors included Catholic groups and other backers of traditional family rights.

The protests come in the wake of pledges by President Francois Hollande to change French law so that gay and lesbian couples can marry.

Despite opposition from more than 1,000 mayors and the Catholic Church, his socialist government approved a bill on the issue earlier this month that will be debated by parliament in January.

France already allows civil unions between same-sex couples, but extending their rights was a campaign pledge of Hollande before he was elected in May.

Protesters in Paris wore pink T-shirts and scarves and carried pink balloons emblazoned with images of a man and woman holding two children's hands.

"A child needs a father and a mother, he needs the paternal and the maternal side and with this bill that might not be possible any more," said one protestor, Marthe Vignault.

"That's the way it is and we can't go against nature."

Saturday also saw counter-rallies in support of same-sex marriage.

At present only married couples - not civil union partners - can adopt in France.

A number of European nations, including Germany, Sweden and the UK, already allow gay adoption.