The dismembered body of a 95-year-old grandmother was found spread around her property in the Riviera town of Nice this week.

The gruesome discovery was made by the victim’s daughter on Thursday morning, who was named in the French media as Arlette P.

The daughter immediately raised the alarm and it was only when the police arrived that the true horror of what had become of her mother unfolded before them.

On searching the house police discovered the elderly woman’s legs in the freezer, and found her liver on a shelf in the fridge, French news site Le point reported.

Most of the rest of the victim’s body was found buried in the garden of the family house, located on the hills above Nice.

Other body parts were also left by the entrance to the property. Police found knives around the property they believe were used to dismember the body.

Police arrested a man in his 40s suspected of cutting up the woman, who, according to judicial sources, is the grandson of the 95-year-old. He has been named as Cedric A.

On Friday prosecutors describe the grandson, who has a son of his own, as having a "serious psychiatric illness".

The man has been placed in custody and according to reports in the French media admitted to police to having eaten a part of his grandmother's body. On Friday police said they could not confirm reports of any 'cannibalism' until a full autopsy had taken place.

The suspect is believed to have spent time in psychiatric institutions because of on-going mental health problems.

An official investigation has been opened up by prosecutors in Aix-en-Provence.

Related story: Mortician stored gallons of human blood at his home