French nationals in New Zealand left 'upset and angry and sad'

A vigil was held in Aotea Square in Auckland last night. Photo / Chris Loufte

French nationals in New Zealand watched from afar as Paris was gripped by terror during the attacks on Saturday.

Melanie Trexon, who now lives in New Zealand but was born in France, said she was touched by the tragedy.

She has a number of friends living in Paris who were all safe, but a friend of a friend had been shot dead in the attacks.

"I suppose we're less touched here but still I was really upset and angry and sad. I was fearing for my friends," she said.

"A friend of all my friends got shot, he died. It could have been my friends, it could have been anyone."

Backpacker William Tissot said he watched with worry as information began to trickle in on Saturday.

"I first heard there were only 40 people dead, then it kept increasing and increasing. It's really a bad situation," he said.

Mr Tissot had family in France but thankfully did not know anyone in Paris during the attacks.

He said the loss of innocent lives was a tragedy.

"For me, it's OK. I have no one living in Paris. I think it would be only in the big cities [that are targeted]," he said.

"It's a major attack. The people who died they were completely innocent, completely victims.

"It should be the Government that should be attacked, not the population. It's better to attack against them than the population."