A British cyclist in his 50s has been found dead in the sea off the French Riviera at Èze near Nice, according to reports.

The unnamed man from Liverpool was wearing sports kit and a helmet when his body was discovered by fishermen on Saturday, March 28, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The area is hugely popular with cyclists and includes a tall hill that rises above the Mediterranean, with the village of Èze on its peak.

"His bike was found nearby, but the reason for his death remains a mystery,"  a source from the local prosecutors’ office told Mail Online.

A preliminary investigation has been opened, with judicial police interviewing the fishermen and searching for evidence.

No theory for the cause of death has yet been ruled out. Possibilities range from a cycling accident to murder and suicide.

An autopsy will be carried out this week.

A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We’re looking into reports that a British national has died in France. We stand ready to provide consular assistance.”