From an article on Yahoo:
“By noon, turnout was over 34 percent, the highest midday rate in 33 years, the Interior Ministry said.”
I read this as good for Sarkozy. I was afraid that with the rather healthy lead he had, people would become complacent, or listen to the “don’t vote for any of those bums” message of the minor parties. With a strong turnout, that is less likely to be happening.