While Le Pen's third-place finish ended her run, it was the far right's highest score ever in a presidential election.
Big Gains For Far Right
The National Front party leader made big gains in many French regions. Her supporters are considered to be largely working class or agrarian. That makes the winegrowing region of Burgundy prime Le Pen territory.
In the tiny village of Chambolle Musigny, a table of vintners toast their centuries-old way of life and Le Pen's success. With almost 20 percent of the vote, she did nearly twice as well as her father did in 2002 when he shocked the nation by making it into the second-round runoff.
Winegrower Remy Boursot says there are two main reasons why more people are voting Le Pen.
"Europe and immigration. As a winegrower, it's Europe that dictates my life. We've lost our sovereignty, and this has killed our small businesses and artisans. We have to get out of the euro currency. And with unemployment on the rise, we hardly need mass immigration," said Boursot. "Yes, people are waking up."
Francois Fabin, a day laborer who picks Boursot's grapes, puts it more bluntly.
"If you go to the hospital in the town of Dijon, you see all the African women who come here to have their babies," said Fabin. "We're working to pay for the rest of the world. We can't do it anymore, and the National Front says stop!"
Despite the tranquil beauty of Burgundy's stone villages and church spires, and the orderliness of neat rows of vines stitched across its hillsides, all is not well here. This presidential election has laid bare deep French fears over issues such as globalization, economic austerity measures and national identity.
In the blue-collar Burgundy town of Montbard, a metal works factory supplies parts for the powerful French nuclear industry. With jobs to be had and virtually no foreigners, local newspaper editor David Regazzoni says he can't figure out why the people of Montbard are increasingly voting for the far right.
"Perhaps they are afraid. Afraid to lose what they have — to lose their job, they are afraid by Europe, they are afraid of globalization, even in rural country like this," Regazzoni said.
Frederic Ravenet, a local Socialist official, says the far right's vote here is no threat yet — but their arguments worry him.
"Their talk is very aggressive toward foreigners, the homeless, anyone living at the margins of society. And I think hiding behind this kind of a debate is not very healthy for democracy," Ravenet said.
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