France exploded with joy after a thrilling 2-1 triumph over Italy in the Euro 2000 final with hundreds of thousands of fans thronging the streets of Paris and other towns to the sound of car horns and fireworks.

Between 400,000 and 500,00 fans thronged the Champs Elysées dancing, singing and embracing as flares lit the street in a blaze of the national colours of blue, red and white.

Two years ago, the French World Cup final victory over Brazil sparked an an all-night party with a million people on the same tree-lined avenue.

Even if the crowd was smaller this time, they were relieved and delighted that France had pulled from behind to score an historic double.

Cars sped through Paris with horns blaring, flags and supporters hanging out of the windows.

At one end of the Champs Elysées, which the French love to describe as 'the most beautiful avenue in the world', the Arc de Triomphe was lit up with a big neon 'Merci' for the winners.

A giant ferris wheel was ablaze with lights at the Place de la Concorde, where the soccer heroes are due to parade on their return from the Netherlands today.

'This is a joy, once again two years on,' Prime Minister Lionel Jospin told French TV in Rotterdam, where the French team had just snatched victory from the jaws of defeat.

President Jacques Chirac also rushed to the TV cameras. 'We've lived an incredible, unique, adventure with the French team. I'm proud for France and proud for the French.'

In London, Italian football fans were 'veramente malato' while their French counterparts were 'fou de joie' - roughly translated 'as sick as a parrot' and 'over the moon'.

Italian faces in Soho's Bar Italia registered disbelief while the French claimed Soho as their own. Staff at Bar Italia, Cafe Italia and Little Italy on Frith Street had been planning to extend their opening hours if Italy had triumphed but the owners decided to shut up shop following the late France winner.

A hundred yards away, the French gathered at the Golden Lion in Dean Street. Even as the Italians took the lead, the French kept cheering on their heroes with rousing choruses of Allez les Bleus. They were rewarded when

Sylvain Wiltord equalised in the dying seconds of the game with David Trezeguet scoring the golden goal winner in extra time.

'We have made history,' said an ecstatic Uriel Julian du Puy as he walked down Frith Street wrapped in the Tricolore. 'We are the first team to win the European Championships as World Cup holders, it is fantastic.'

Hotel manger Frederick Toiton, 26, said: 'We are going to meet up with some more French people around Piccadilly Circus. Tonight it will be good to be around other French people.'