Emotion was at its height at the Zénith in Dijon, this Saturday, December 16. During the 94th Miss France ceremony, a vibrant tribute was paid to Geneviève de Fontenay, who died on August 1 at the age of 90. While the auditorium was plunged into darkness, the voice of the iconic lady in the hat began to resonate. During the broadcast of a tape recorder, the public and viewers were able to hear the former president of the Miss France Committee pronounce his declarations which have become cult. “It’s still something solid, Miss France. We had detractors, we had people who said it was old-fashioned and that it was out of fashion. Finally, Miss France is an institution now and I think the French are very attached to it. Miss France is ultimately a fairy tale. I think it’s important in life to provide a little escape.”
At the end of this sequencearound forty Misses gathered on stage to show him all their affection. Among those invited by the production, viewers were able to recognize Rachel Legrain-Trapani, Letitia Bleger, Clémence Botino and Sonia Rolland. In small groups, they paraded in black pants and white shirts. A dress code elegant and refined which was a real nod to the clothing style of Geneviève de Fontenay. Faithful to the former Miss boss, Elodie Gossuin and Cindy Fabre appeared with tears in their eyes. To salute one last time the memory of the wife of Louis Poirot, the former beauty queens gathered in front of the emblematic hat of Miss Elegance 1957. To the applause, the signature of the grandmother of Agathe and Adèle appeared on the giant screen. A moving sequence which will remain in the history of the Misses, just like Geneviève de Fontenay.
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Geneviève Fontenay: the eternal patron saint of Misses
The public will remember her elegant aristocratic silhouette, his imposing hats and her dedication to the national beauty pageant. For more than fifty years, the “Mother” of the Misses traveled the roads of France to discover the most beautiful women in the country. Throughout his reign, which ended in 2010, Geneviève de Fontenay fiercely defended the tradition of beauty queens “ambassadors of elegance and morality”. “A Miss is the opposite of the carelessness, the disheveled, the vulgarity that saddens me so much, like those advertisements with pairs of buttocks and a string inside”, she lamented. A frankness and an incredible sense of chic which have made her a true icon, a “mentor” even, for Miss France 2001, Elodie Gossuin. “It’s very difficult for me to find the words. I will miss coming to see her and talking with her. She is truly part of my family“she explained to Gala. And to add with tenderness: “I grew up with herthe best school was at his side”.
For her part, Cindy Fabre paid him a most moving tribute on her Instagram account. “To you Geneviève, I will do everything possible to keep the story alive, your history, your values and your passion for our beautiful France with you by my side forever!”, wrote Elio’s mother with deep emotion. As for Sylvie Tellier, she said she was “upset” by the disappearance of Xavier de Fontenay’s mother. “Geneviève, it is quite simply the story of the Miss France to whom she dedicated her life.”she confided to Gala. Testimonies that say a lot about the importance that Geneviève de Fontenay had in their lives.
Photo credits: TF1 screenshot