Three years ago, nobody had heard of Emmanuel Macron. Today he is on the verge of becoming the president of France in the most spectacular style: not even 40 and with a new centrist party, En Marche!, that he founded only last April.

We settle into second class for the next train ride of his campaign and the 39-year-old politician who thinks he can beat Marine Le Pen and break the populist wave shakes my hand. Macron’s eyes are the clearest blue and his piercing, lingering stare is so dissecting, after a few moments it makes you glance away.

He is in a great mood. Polls released the day we meet have put him ahead of Le Pen for the first time, while also increasing