Traffic was halted on Line 9 of the Metro as the man was seen running through the platform before fleeing into a tunnel.

The lines of the Paris Metro are electrified and, as the numerous signs warn, anyone who goes onto them as at risk of being electrocuted.

This did not appear to deter the man, who was apparently trying to escape from the notoriously strict RATP ticket inspectors.

Shocked passengers posted video of the incident on Twitter with one commenting: “I've seen people fleeing from the inspectors, but this guy!”

Because of the risk of electrocution, the RATP transport operators cut the power to the line while the man was found and detained, meaning all trains were halted for around half an hour.

The RATP ticket inspectors have a reputation for being uncompromising, and being a hapless tourist who has simply misunderstood the system is no defence against the €35 fines they hand out.

Earlier this year The Local spoke to a Canadian family who were fined a total of €175 after making the fairly common mistake of not realising that a break in a journey requires a new Metro ticket.

Kirisa Gosselin, from Vancourver, said: “We begged for understanding and to just be allowed to purchase five more Metro tickets, to go the two last stops. But no, we ended up paying €175 euros for those two stops. That or risk having the police called, and a stiffer fine given.”

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And it's not just tourists who fall foul of the system – in 2018 a pregnant French woman was fined €60 for walking the wrong way.

In fairness to the RATP police, however, they have their work cut out as fare dodging is rampant in Paris – it is estimated that around seven percent of regular passengers travel without tickets.