Representatives for different regions have already been chosen and on Saturday night the new Miss France will be elected – with the contest a prime-time TV event that draws in millions of viewers.

The TV show is expected to draw in around 7 million viewers and the Miss France final regularly makes it into the most-viewed TV lists.

But is is also regularly denounced by feminist and equality groups.

If you ask French people – particularly the younger ones – about it, they will likely tell you the contest is an embarrassing anachronism.

“Miss France does not give a positive image of women,” said Caroline, a Parisian student.

“It is futile, pointless and utterly out of time,” said Pauline, another Parisian student. 

While British resident in France James agreed, saying: “I think it’s rubbish and outdated.” 

Feminist group “Osez le féminisme” denounced it in 2016 as a competition based on “a brutal rivalry between women” and in 2022 lodged an unssuccesful legal challenge which argued that anti-discrimination laws forbid giving someone a job merely because they are pretty. 

French journalist and blogger, Raphaëlle Peltier, had also warned in an interview for Le Monde newspaper in 2014 that Miss France challenge could send the wrong message to young girls, who might believe that they have to be “pretty, thin, tall, etc. to be successful”. 

But former Miss France winners Vaimalama Chaves and Camille Cerf disagree and say that participating in the national beauty pageant was an expression of the “freedom of will” and that it was possible to be both Miss France and feminist. 

To some, there is nothing sexist in Miss France.

“They are pretty, but we believe there are way more urgent issues,” said Jeannine and Pierre, a retired couple. 

Arthur, a Parisian resident, also pointed out that a men’s content does exist. However, “Mister France” challenge is not broadcast on television anymore, because it failed to attract a significant audience. 

The organisers of the contest have tried to prove their commitment to feminism over the few last years. The 2019 judging panel included only women and the captain of France women’s national football team, Amandine Henry, was the jury chairman when Miss France 2020 was selected.

This year the jury will again be all-female. 

Despite the controversies, the annual contest remains popular in France. As a matter of fact, 7.3 million people watched the TV broadcast of the beauty pageant in 2022, not showing much of a dip from previous years.

The Miss France event was created in 1920 by journalist and writer Maurice de Waleffe and was at first known as La plus belle femme de France (The prettiest woman in France) before getting its current name in 1927.  

Miss France 2024 will be broadcast on Saturday, December 16th, 2023 at 9pm on TF1.

By Jean-Baptiste Andrieux