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At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the announcement of the result melted into a deafening roar. French and EU flags, frantically waved by the crowd, partly obscured the giant screens displaying Emmanuel Macron’s win.

Chants of “Macron, President” merged into the French national anthem, the Marseillaise, as supporters hugged and kissed in celebration. One couple danced with their infant, held high above his father’s head.

Now the speakers are blaring out the song “One More Time” as the sun begins to set behind the Eiffel Tower. As news of Macron’s win sinks in, the energy and enthusiasm that accompanied his win five years ago has been replaced this time by relief.

Supporters here say he will have his work cut out to bring the country together after this election; but they’re relieved that, after the tense campaign and sometimes tight predictions, his far-right rival still hasn’t managed to catch him.

This is a dramatic victory for the sitting president, and a historic one at that.

Make no mistake, this was Marine Le Pen's best chance of victory and yet it didn't happen. Her campaign was slick, her focus on the cost of living chimed with the voters, and she performed well in the big TV duel days ago.

Macron didn't even enter the election until eight days before the first round, prompting accusations of arrogance. But when he did take part, the voters clearly listened. Even though Le Pen offered tax cuts and no rise in the pension age, they decided his proposals were more realistic and they rejected hers. Softer they may have been, but they were still far right.

Not for 20 years has France backed a president for two terms, and never before has a president been re-elected with a majority in parliament.

The two candidates have quite different celebrations planned if they win. Macron has asked his supporters to turn up in the Champ de Mars, one of the largest parks in Paris which stretches out from the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Le Pen, by contrast, has opted for a bus tour of the capital.

The Champ de Mars is a popular place for summer picnics and is also an end point of some of the capital’s many demonstrations. The green space is not enclosed and so is an easy choice for a party. It's certainly a more informal setting than the Pyramid of the Louvre, where Macron appeared after his 2017 victory.

For Le Pen it could not be more different. If she wins she'll set off from her election night venue in the Bois de Boulogne, leading a flotilla of regional buses which have been a part of her campaign.

She will actually be in a car but will be followed by the line of buses which are emblazoned with her image. Their route will apparently take in symbolic locations such as the Bastille and the Arc de Triomphe, before their final stop at a mystery destination.