Bomb disposal experts defused two explosive devices of a kind sometimes used by Basque separatist group ETA at a partly completed hotel complex in southwestern France at the weekend, police said yesterday.

The complex in the Bidarray area, which is part of the Basque region that spans both sides of the border with Spain, is partly owned by famous French chef Alain Ducasse.

The disposal experts defused two gas canisters packed with 13 kilogrammes each of explosives, police said. Nobody claimed responsibility for the act.

The discovery came just days after bombs exploded on commuter trains in Madrid, killing 200 people. The Spanish government initially blamed ETA for that attack but the guerillas denied responsibility and evidence has pointed in the direction of Islamic militants.

Sunday's find at Bidarray was the second at the site. Estate agents and public institutions in the region have been attacked in the past and suspicion has focussed on groups close to ETA.

Alain Ducasse is one of only two chefs in the world with a total of six Michelin stars. He bought the vast property, which includes an 18th-century farm house, with several other investors in 2002 to transform it into a luxury hotel.