One survey found that 38% of French people described themselves as racist; among European Union countries only Belgium at 45% had a higher figure.

Some 23% of Germans 13% of Spaniards and 22% of those questioned in Britain had similar views.

In another poll, 40% said they were attracted by the policies of the National Front, whose leader, Jean Marie Le Pen campaigns on an anti-immigrant platform.

Wide support

The BBC correspondent in Paris says that although the extreme right-wing National Front normally attracts about 15% of the vote nation-wide, its views command far wider support.

The surveys (published in the Paris newspaper, Le Monde) found that racism was most common among farmers, shopkeepers and tradesman, and least prevalent among young people and the better-off.