What is this cute little rodent?

[camille1585]

My mother sent photos of a little rodent that has been helping itself to sunflower seeds in one of her feeders (this is in France). We can't find any wild European rodents which match. My sister suggested that it might be an escaped gerbil. What do you think? The tail is hairy, which eliminated most of the 'wild' options.

If it is a gerbil then my mother will try to catch the poor thing, she said it's not scared of her when she gets near it.