This is the BBC.

Welcome to the briefing room with me, David Aronovich.

In this episode, we'll be getting briefed on France

as it heads into the final round of an election

that has shattered the traditional two-party system.

I, General de Gaulle,

I entrepren here, in England, this tach national.

The voice of General Charles de Gaulle, in 1940, recorded here at the BBC, calling for the French to join the resistance against the Nazis.

I'm sorry. resistance against the Nazis. Vive la France. Libre, in the honour and in the independent.

I'm speaking into a type A Marconi microphone.

It's just the kind that Chardigal used

to send his words out into the darkness

of occupied France.

It's heavy. We reckon it's about

three kilograms. It looks like a small brass obelisk

and has the smell of an old box or old book.

The object in front of me says France matters to us and that what happens in the final round of France's presidential election

is of great moment to Britain.

For the first time in over half a century,

two insurgents have broken through the traditional two-party system,

and on Sunday, the voters will decide between two utterly different visions

of France and of Europe and the world.

...