"Don't let go Marine, we're counting on you (...) please hold on", says a grandmother to the presidential candidate who hands her her little girl dressed in a jacket strewn with hearts.

Marine Le Pen takes her hand: "no, I'm not giving up, it's you who give me power and strength, (...) it's for you that I fight".

Marine Le Pen offers herself, under a beautiful sun, a last walkabout before the debate between the two contenders for the Elysée on Wednesday evening.

She is on conquered ground on the market of a city of 7,500 inhabitants which voted for her at 35% (28.2% for Macron) in the first round.

"I come to seek the strength of the people, yes I will win", assures the far-right candidate, followed by enthusiastic residents and activists, who demanded selfies or confided in their difficulty making ends meet.

Marine Le Pen, RN presidential candidate, visiting the Saint-Pierre-en-Auge market on April 18, 2022 in Calvados Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

The grandmother is in tears after this meeting.

"I want her to win because she's had enough," she said.

"Rotten system"

Some supporters of Emmanuel Macron also came to tow on the market.

“Macron president”, they try their hand at a window, immediately booed by the crowd, where we also hear “go back to the rich”.

A supporter of Emmanuel Macron holds a leaflet from the president-candidate during Marine Le Pen's visit to Saint-Pierre-en-Auge, April 18, 2022 in Calvados Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

"Only she can save France," says Carine, a housewife from Mezidon with her companion Franck, a forklift driver, and their 12-year-old son Diego.

She walks over for a selfie.

"Good luck to you, we're counting on you," she said to Marine Le Pen, whom she kissed on both cheeks.

"The system is rotten, you have to start all over again," said Patrick, a 60-year-old disabled driver who has been voting RN for years.

"Immigration we can still welcome" and Muslims "I know a lot" but "Macron is zero, the president of the rich".

Marine Le Pen, RN presidential candidate, visiting the Saint-Pierre-en-Auge market on April 18, 2022 in Calvados Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

He thinks that Marine Le Pen can be elected "if they don't scam", because "Macron, he has plenty of pans, Benalla, the Yellow Vests", of which he was a part, and "McKinsey".

The "little ones"

Ludovic Le Bas, 52, a former mover, will vote for her because he wants "change" and that "everything increases".

Caroline Delalande, a domestic worker, comes from Saint-Sylvain with her sister Evelyne, a civil servant.

Aged 60, Caroline asked the candidate what she intended to do for her retirement, while Marine Le Pen wants to reserve retirement at 60 for those who worked early.

"She has good plans," says Caroline.

Marine Le Pen, RN presidential candidate, visiting the Saint-Pierre-en-Auge market on April 18, 2022 in Calvados Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

Evelyne expects "a lot" from the debate on Wednesday.

"She is better now than 5 years ago" when "she was a little upset".

A man approaches the candidate: "we don't have French people who want to work in slaughterhouses, it's Brazilians with the Brazilian card (...) it's not normal".

"Well no, it's not normal, but we must also increase salaries", replies the anti-immigration candidate.

Marine Le Pen, RN presidential candidate, takes a selfie with a supporter during a visit to the Saint-Pierre-en-Auge market, April 18, 2022 in Calvados Sameer Al-DOUMY AFP

At the end of the market, Marine Le Pen exchanges briefly with Jérémy, local manager of the support committee for Emmanuel Macron.

"How are you going to finance your social reforms?"

he asks her, without getting an answer.

© 2022 AFP