Under a blazing sun, the far-right candidate claimed "the greatest show of force of this campaign, a life-size poll, a taste of the surprise to come" according to him, two weeks before the first round.

In front of clouds of French flags, he mentioned the number of “100,000 people” present, the same advanced a week earlier by the Insoumis during the meeting of Jean-Luc Mélenchon place de la République.

"I chose the Trocadéro to come and wash away the insults of the right," said Eric Zemmour, while Nicolas Sarkozy and François Fillon had held meetings there in 2012 and 2017, losing the presidential election in the process.

Meeting of far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour at Tocadéro, in Paris, on March 27, 2022 BERTRAND GUAY AFP

The candidate Reconquête!, given around 10% in the voting intentions, booed three rivals: the LR Valérie Pécresse, "a centrist already ready to vote Emmanuel Macron", the candidate RN Marine Le Pen, a "socialist in economy who no longer wants to take any risks on sovereign subjects".

And Emmanuel Macron "who still does not know which side he is on".

"Macron Murderer"

“Macron assassin” even resounded in the crowd when Eric Zemmour listed several victims of attacks, including Mireille Knoll, an 85-year-old Jewish woman killed in her home in March 2018.

Terms immediately denounced by macronie but also its right-wing competitor LR Valérie Pécresse.

"I strongly fight the outgoing president but letting an opponent be treated as a murderer is dangerous for the Republic," she tweeted.

Neck and neck with Valérie Pécresse in the polls, outdistanced by Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen, and slightly behind Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Eric Zemmour had several executives from the right-hand wing of LR applauded: Eric Ciotti, Francois- Xavier Bellamy, Laurent Wauquiez and Nadine Morano, as well as RN Jordan Bardella.

"I came to tell you a secret... We are the only ones on the right. I am the only right-wing candidate," he said bravely.

Perched on a monumental blue platform, he also resumed his anti-tax antiphon because "enough is enough".

Punctuating his speech with quotations from Victor Hugo or Jacques Brel, he insisted less than usual on immigration, leaving this theme to the previous speakers, Marion Maréchal in the lead.

Meeting of far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour at Tocadéro, in Paris, on March 27, 2022 BERTRAND GUAY AFP

"How long do we still have before France becomes an African France, (...) how long before Islam is the majority on our land?", Questioned the niece of Marine Le Pen under the cheers.

Former LR Guillaume Peltier had previously almost taken over a formula from François Fillon to galvanize the crowd.

"They said to us alone", "suddenly you are as far as the eye can see".

And the former deputy of Vendée Philippe de Villiers did not fail to salute the "France of the hidden vote".

Among the speakers, Laurence Trochu (Conservative Movement), from the Manif 'for all, exalted the values ​​of the family in the face of this "feminism which emasculates men and disguises women".

"Hard to Coexist"

In the crowd, between Marseillaises, slogans "we are at home" or "where are the antifas?", many activists did not believe in the polls.

In front of the stage, Tom Celcuk, Normandy flag in hand, said he defended "identity" and "family" values.

The Trocadero, it can "give momentum" against Marine Le Pen "who has become very left", estimated the 19-year-old young man.

Marion Maréchal speaks at the podium during the meeting of far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour at Tocadéro, in Paris, on March 27, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

A little apart, Jean-Louis Faure, an elegant 75-year-old gentleman, had "come as a neighbor" from the 16th arrondissement, as he did five years ago for François Fillon.

This returnee from Algeria is still hesitating about his vote but thinks that Eric Zemmour is asking the "essential question", that of civilization.

Muslim civilization is different from ours, it is difficult to coexist".

Valérie Dunoix, 50, blue beret on her head, made the trip from Lyon with her daughter Priscilla.

She finds that Eric Zemmour "raises taboos" on immigration and appreciates his speech on the "respect" of the professor.

For her, "public school is a disaster today".

© 2022 AFP