In contrast to Emmanuel Macron, who is holding a big meeting on the same day in Marseille, France's second city, the far-right presidential candidate chose this town of 3,900 inhabitants, where 37.2% of those who came in the first round voted for her, far ahead of the outgoing president (23.6%).

RN activists are waiting for their candidate firmly near the "Le Maryland" tobacco bar, on the church square.

"The population is really changing," said one of them, Erik Michiels, a former sports educator, who comes from the neighboring town of Verneuil-sur-Avre where, he points out, there are "two mosques and kebabs".

"Dictatorship"

Near the counter hidden by a forest of cameras, Marine Le Pen greets customers.

"If the people vote, the people win", launches eight days before the second round the candidate, still worried about an abstention from her voters which had cost her dearly at the regional level.

Coming out, she admits to the press that the veil is a "complex problem" and that she is "not obtuse", that her controversial measure to ban the veil in the street will be debated in the Assembly.

But "we must solve the problem of women who are forced to put (the) under pressure from the Islamists".

“Something has to happen because there we are in a dictatorship”, launches Alain, 61, a maintenance man in a structure for the disabled.

He voted Nicolas Dupont-Aignan in the first round and complains to Marine Le Pen of having been suspended from his post because he is not vaccinated against Covid.

The candidate promises to "reinstate" the suspended caregivers and to "pay back" the uncollected salaries.

"Compulsory vaccination is an attack on individual freedoms," she said.

When Éric Cailleux, 50, manager of a garage with 5 employees, RN voter, tells him "crushing under the loads", Marine Le Pen offers him to remove production taxes and promote "localist municipalities", favoring companies and local products.

"We are closing beds, bus lines and that creates more difficult living conditions in rural areas," she laments.

"Your voice"

To a disabled person who requests single-storey apartments, she promises to bring the accommodation "up to standard", as well as a broader policy "for the most vulnerable".

On the flea market, Florence, a saleswoman, tells her that she "is not entitled to any help" when markets like hers had to close during the Covid, and "you have to pay for gas".

Marine Le Pen criticizes these "prohibitions" which "have plunged people into great difficulty", and unfolds her flagship proposal for a reduction in VAT on fuel, gas and electricity.

"The yellow vests, we are all here, even those who had more means no longer have any", testifies an elegant blonde woman, who is worried about the attitude of Emmanuel Macron in debate against Marine Le Pen Wednesday.

Avren in Eure-e-tLoir, April 16, 2022 "I will be your voice", replies Marine Le Pen, who says she is "serene".

Marine Le Pen, candidate for the National Rally in the presidential election, traveling to Saint-Rémy-sur-Avre, in Eure-et-Loir, on April 16, 2022 JULIEN DE ROSA AFP

Laurent, 54, converted into alternative medicine after electromechanics, says he was "called" to meet Marine Le Pen.

He has lived in the town for five years but cannot find a doctor.

The candidate notably promises him tax incentives to install them.

She continues on the closure of a factory in Chartres, of which "nobody speaks", and castigates "this wild globalization, a fool's market".

"We can do otherwise," she promises, eager to "lead the country as a mother, with common sense, with consistency, without excess, without excess".

"But taking into account the tens of millions of French people who have not been the priority" of past governments.

© 2022 AFP