Veteran French rocker Johnny Hallyday has been released from a Los Angeles hospital where he underwent a back operation earlier this month, his publicists said on Wednesday.

The doctors judged that Johnny Hallyday's current state of health has improved and justifies a return home to his family while he continues to receive the medical treatment he needs, they said in a statement.

He will spend Christmas at his home in Los Angeles with his wife Laeticia and two daughters.

Hallyday, 66, who had been due to resume a concert tour in January, was admitted to the Cedars-Sinai hospital on December 7 suffering complications after an earlier operation in Paris.

He has begun legal action to determine whether the surgeon who performed the operation in Paris was at fault and earlier this week submitted a letter to French judges declaring that he had come close to death.

Hallyday, one of France's most popular entertainers in a career spanning almost 50 years, is particularly famous for his energetic live performances.

His health problems have forced the cancellation of the remainder of his concert tour, prompting widespread speculation about the likely financial impact for insurers and promoters.