This year's French municipal elections are seen as an important gauge of voter sentiment ahead of next year's presidential election.
The far-right National Rally hopes for a breakthrough in, among other places, the large city of Marseille, which has been hard hit by violence and drug-related crime.
Mayoral candidate Franck Allisio promises to triple the police budget, double the number of surveillance cameras, introduce school uniforms and create special family areas on the beaches.
Even in large neighboring cities such as Toulon and Nice, several far-right candidates are in strong positions ahead of Sunday's first round of elections.
In the capital Paris, a tight contest awaits, where Rachida Dati, former Minister of Justice and Culture, hopes to become the first right-wing mayor since 2001.
