A majority of the French people are in favor of developing shale hydrocarbons if it helps lower fuel prices, according to a poll released Thursday.

In total, 62% of the 1,004 people questioned by polling institute CSA, for consulting agency Publicis Consultants France, said they were in favor of extracting shale oil in France if this helps in lowering fuel prices, with price being the most important criteria.

Meanwhile, 33% of respondents said they were against it.

According to a preliminary report published two weeks ago, French shale oil and gas fields are potentially some of the most promising in Europe and banning exploration before the reserves are assessed could be detrimental to France 's economy and labor market.

The report was requested by the government in March, following environmentalist outcry at the government-granted permits to explore shale oil fields in the Paris Basin and shale gas fields in the Southeast of France. A final report is expected by June.

Faced with demonstrations and an intense national debate on potential damage to the environment and water tables from shale extracting techniques, the government recently scrapped the permits, and a draft bill to ban all exploration is to be debated at the French national assembly May 10.

For 62% of those polled by CSA, price is the most important criteria in terms of favoring one energy source above all others, while the environmental impact of the energy source came in second. The safe use of an energy came third.

When asked about energy development priorities, 92% of the persons polled said solar power should be the top priority, followed by wind power, then hydropower, gas, oil, and coal. Nuclear came last.

France is the world's second largest nuclear operator, with 58 nuclear reactors running, after the U.S. and ahead of Japan .

Following the nuclear accident of Fukushima , the government maintained its nuclear stance but has since decided to conduct an audit of all nuclear reactors of the country.

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