John Kerry cycling
US secretary of state John Kerry was hospitalised in a cycling accident. Getty

US Secretary of State John Kerry has been forced to call off the rest of a four nations trip after breaking his leg in a bicycling accident in the French Alps.

Kerry was due to fly to Madrid to sign a defence deal then on to Paris for a conference on fighting Islamic State, but will instead return to the US, said a State Department spokesman.

An X-ray confirmed that the 71-year old has broken his right femur. Doctors said that he is in good spirits and will make a full recovery, reports AP.

Doctors said that he is in good spirits and will make a full recovery, reports AP.

Kerry did not lose consciousness after the accident in Scionzier, 25 miles south-east of the Swiss border.

On Saturday, he met Iranian delegates in Geneva as part of talks on Iran's nuclear programme.