Two thieves stole two Renoir paintings from a museum on the French Riviera on Tuesday.

Local authorities said the pair broke in shortly before 6 am (2 pm AEST) by cutting a hole in a garden fence and entering through a window.

The stolen paintings by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, whose most valuable works have fetched dozens of millions of dollars at auctions, were Madame Colonna Romano and Young Woman at the Well. Both belong to Paris' famous Orsay Museum and were on loan to the museum.

Read the full story at SBS News - Latest.