French President Emmanuel Macron (left) attends a meeting with Marine Le Pen, head of France's far-right National Front (FN) political party at the Elysee Palace in Paris on November 21. Photo: VCG

The two remaining contenders in the French presidential race are expected to return to the fray Monday after a brief Easter pause in campaigning and ahead of a high-stakes televised debate.

French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right challenger Marine le Pen both have low-key meetings Monday, pacing themselves until Wednesday's face-off, which could turn out to be the key to the campaign.

Last time around in 2017, when the same two candidates faced off at this stage of the campaign, most observers think Macron came off best. He won the election comfortably a few days later.

This time, however, Le Pen insists she is better prepared. "In my head, I'm ready to exercise power," she told TF1 television Sunday night.

Macron was equally confident in his comments to TF1 television.

"I think I have a winning plan that deserves to be known and I have the feeling that on the far-right side, there is a plan that deserves to be clarified," he said.

The latest opinion polls still suggest Macron has the edge, giving him scores of between 53 and 55.5 percent to Le Pen's 44.5 to 47 percent.

But allowing for margins of error, Macron knows there is no room for complacency ahead of next Sunday's second-round vote.

Le Pen, too, knows what is at stake. 

"I've read so much nonsense about my plans over the last few days, so many caricatures - even fake news - that it's extremely important I can get a moment with all the French people who are interested... so as to be able to reassure everybody," she said in a statement on Saturday.

AFP