France said Tuesday it planned to "gradually" ban mink farms as well the use of wild animals in travelling circuses and dolphins and orcas in theme parks.

Environment minister Barbara Pompili announced the sweeping measures saying "our attitude to wild animals has changed".

Animals rights group PETA hailed the decision as "an historic victory".

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"Champagne bottles are being uncorked here. Thank you to all those who have helped bring this about."

France's most outspoken animal advocate, veteran actress Brigitte Bardot, also cheered the change.

Her foundation tweeted its "immense thanks" to Pompili but the L214 group which had also lobbied ministers said it would not rest till the cruelty inflicted on "more than a billion intensely farmed animals" in the country was also ended.

The charity 30 Million Friends also welcomed the ban, tweeting that it wanted the decisions to be pushed through as quickly as possible.

However, the minister was vague on when the shutters would come down on mink farms and the use of wild animals for entertainment, saying only that it would be in "the years to come".

"Putting a date on it does not solve all the problems," she said.

"I prefer to start a process so that we get there as quickly as possible."

The measures are sure to be resisted by the French fur industry, which has fought a dogged rearguard action in recent years against luxury fashion houses going fur-free.