Ping!
I am hoping that Royal will finish second in the elections, so the run off will be between her and Sarkozy, not him and the recently popular centrist candidate François Bayrou, mostly because of people realising Royal´s unelectability and unability to fullfill her promises. The left that hates Sarkozy so much would rally around Bayrou, but if Royal finishes second, the supporters of Bayrou would in greater numbers choose Sarko I beliewe.
That beeing said, it seems to be that Bayrou is mostly a candidate that will be a good president, realistic and not to confrontational thus implementing changes slowly, the only way that ensures success for the long time (coservative changes so to speak).
But that is maybe also his flaws, as the France system is so entranched that they would need a stronger willing man like Sarkozy to move it even a little. And he is a man with conservative principles and enough of a classical liberalist (libertarian) for me it seems.
If France chooses Sarkozy it will show in my opinion that maybe not all is lost for western civilization (at least in Europe), that we are willing to stand for what we are and defend it.