The Local France

OPINION: In the year of #MeToo it's time for the French to switch off Miss France

Fri, 15 Dec 2017 15:12:26 +0100

Eight million French people will watch Miss France on Saturday night but surely in the year that Harvey Weinstein's scandalous behaviour emerged and the #MeToo hashtag took over Twitter, it's time the annual degrading beauty pageant was confined to history, writes The Local's Evie Burrows-Taylor.

Miss France contest ridiculed for dedicating beauty pageant to women's rights

Thu, 14 Dec 2017 18:20:46 +0100

Organisers of the 2018 Miss France competition have invited ridicule by announcing this year's beauty pageant will be held to honour the recent global campaign to fight violence against women.

Miss France takes home Miss Universe title

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 09:21:19 +0100

France won its first Miss Universe crown in 64 years on Monday in a made-for-television spectacle where finalists spoke out on the refugee crisis and other hot-button global issues.

Miss France: Are we really still doing this?

Fri, 16 Dec 2016 16:42:51 +0100

It's the Miss France final on Saturday night, and many millions are expected to tune in. But perhaps they shouldn't, writes Oliver Gee.

Topless pics dash another French beauty queen's hopes

Thu, 17 Nov 2016 14:54:00 +0100

A French regional beauty queen has had her title stripped after flouting one of the golden rules of the Miss France contest - no raunchy photo shoots. And she's not the first to fall foul of the rules.

'Sexist, corny...' but the French love Miss France

Mon, 21 Dec 2015 11:53:16 +0100

Despite being labelled sexist and corny around eight million French TV viewers tuned in to watch the annual Miss France beauty pageant at the weekend, with the winner once again heralding from the north.

Topless pic sees French beauty queen dethroned

Tue, 06 Oct 2015 17:57:46 +0200

Rules are rules, when it comes to beauty pageants. The newly-crowned Miss Brittany has been stripped of her title and the chance to be Miss France 2015 after she posted a topless fashion snap on her Facebook page.

Miss France: Why 8.5 million French tuned in

Mon, 08 Dec 2014 13:16:00 +0100

The annual Miss France contest took place on Saturday in front of millions of French TV viewers. As Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais was crowned France's beauty queen The Local looks at why the pageant is such headline news in a country where égalité is a fundamental principle.

Take the Miss France general knowledge quiz

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 19:00:00 +0100

This year Miss France contestants have had to prove they have the brains as well as the beauty, by taking an obligatory general knowledge test. Do you have what it takes to be Miss France? Test yourself here.

New Miss France proud of 'mixed' country

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 09:59:00 +0100

After the 2013 Miss France competition sparked a racism row over the "white as snow" contestants, the 2014 winner, a Franco-Beninese student, claimed her victory at the weekend was proof of France's acceptance of "mixed backgrounds" and cultures.

Miss France: the ageless queen of kitsch

Fri, 06 Dec 2013 20:26:00 +0100

The annual Miss France competition takes place in the eastern city of Dijon on Saturday night. In postmodern France, where women hold cabinet positions and beauty pageants are mercilessly mocked, you might think nobody will be watching. You'd be very wrong.

French movie star Delon in Miss France bust-up

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 20:22:00 +0200

French movie star Alain Delon launched a tirade at the Miss France beauty committee on Friday after members had attacked him for supporting the far-right National Front. Delon then announced he was quitting as honory president of the committee.

Beauty queen stripped of crown over raunchy pics

Fri, 23 Aug 2013 11:07:00 +0200

Just days after being crowned, a beauty queen from the south west France was dethroned this week after it emerged she had posed for provocative semi-naked photographs – a clear violation of the rules, according to Miss France chiefs.

Appeal as French beauty contestant goes missing

Thu, 01 Aug 2013 15:26:00 +0200

Police in southern France have launched an investigation into the “worrying disappearance” of a teenage beauty contestant and her mother after the pair went missing over two weeks ago from their hometown of Perpignan.

French beauty queens in struggle for jobs

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 21:16:00 +0100

You might have thought that being crowned a beauty queen in France would offer you a one-way ticket to a bright future, but it seems that good looks will only get you so far.

Miss France slammed for being 'white as snow'

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 19:00:00 +0100

A black rights group on Monday slammed the latest Miss France competition for producing a "white as snow" winner from a field it claimed was unrepresentative of the country's ethnic make-up.

Miss France quiz asks 'Who's Prime Minister?'

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 11:14:00 +0100

Questions in a quiz for the candidates of the Miss France 2012 competition held this December have been revealed.

First Miss Black France causes controversy

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 12:35:00 +0200

Controversial beauty contest “Miss Black France” crowned a Senegalese student in Paris this weekend. But the event, picketed by far-right protesters, has divided opinion in France.

Two 'Miss France' winners amid battle over contest

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 16:24:00 +0100

A management student from Alsace was voted Miss France, 24 hours before another student from the south of France was elected Miss Prestige National.

Brest falls out over Miss France contest

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 12:53:00 +0200

A political row has broken out in the scenic Brittany town of Brest after a payment was made from public funds to host this year's Miss France beauty pageant.