France's general election campaign heats up in towns and villages across the country

The first-round of what has been described as an historic election will be held in just over two weeks.

Pre-ballot surveys in France show the far-right winning the greatest number of seats in the National Assembly.

The northern beaches of France around the port of Calais are a bright spot for the far-right.

But despite the wave of support for the National Rally in the EU elections on June 9, leftist campaigners hope for success here once again.

This constituency last had a Socialist MP 12 years ago, and the left-wing are urging people to vote against both the government and the far-right, and what they say are extremist immigration policies.

"Every day, people who have been exiled are harassed, every other day the refugee camps are cleared, their living conditions are horrible," said Louise Druelle, left-wing organiser.

"For me, Macron and Le Pen are the same thing, and we must fight both of them with the same force."

A short drive inland from the port is the village of Audruicq.

The far-right National Rally candidate for the Pas-de-Calais 7 constituency, which includes Calais port and surrounding villages is Marc de Fleurian.

In the previous general election in 2022, he lost out in a run-off.

The National Rally wants to expel more migrants and stop family reunifications, and it hopes a tough line on immigration will propel it to power.

"Social expenses have skyrocketed because of immigration," said Marc de Fleurian.

"Security has been lowered by the immigration streams, and also the identity of French society is under threat."

The people in Audruicq have had the same centre-right Republican MP since 2017. 

Pierre-Henri Dumont is running for re-election with a defiant message for extremist parties.

"My line is very clear: we have no alliance, no deal with the extremists, if they come from the far-right or they come from the far-left, we have no alliance with them because we know the history of our country."

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Constituencies like this are crucial for the National Rally to win if they are to gain the additional 200 MPs the party needs to win a parliamentary majority.

Yet a far-right victory is something that the French president is determined to stop.

"I do not want to give the keys to power to the far-right in 2027," said the president, referencing the next presidential vote in three years’ time.

"When 50 percent of French people vote for the extremes, when you do not have a majority in the Assembly, you cannot tell them we continue as if nothing had happened. You're not respecting them, you’re not hearing them."

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