By Cyril Altmeyer and Julien Ponthus
PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - Construction group Vinci SGEF.PA has proposed a slightly higher offer in a final round of bidding for Lyon airport than its main rival, a consortium led by the Peugeot family's FFP holding, sources with knowledge of the matter said on Friday.
The French government now hopes to raise more than 1.6 billion euros ($1.76 billion) from the privatisation of Lyon and Nice airports currently underway, the sources said.
Italian airport group Atlantia ATL.MI , once a favourite for Nice, is now seen less positively in light of a weaker performance at Rome airport, which it operates, according to the same sources. leaves Vinci in pole position for Nice which could help the FFP-Macquarie MQG.AX consortium to win Lyon, despite offering 1 percent less than Vinci. This is because the French government is reluctant to sell both airports to the construction group, they said.
Spokespeople for Vinci, Macquarie, FFP, Atlantia and the French finance ministry declined to comment.
The winning bidders for both airports are expected to be announced next week. ($1 = 0.9117 euros)