Who watches Miss France any more?

This Saturday, France will crown its new beauty queen, who will succeed Ève Gilles, Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais 2023 and Miss France 2024. The event will be broadcast live on TF1 and is expected to attract millions of viewers (7 million people tuned in for the previous edition). How can such impressive numbers be explained at a time when body positivity and feminism are now central to daily conversations? In an era that celebrates diversity and empowerment, the Miss France contest seems stuck in outdated stereotypes. Some feminist associations even describe it as archaic and sexist due to its selection criteria, such as requiring a minimum height of 1.70m without heels. So, who is still watching this show?

According to TF1 data, 61% of the audience consists of women aged 15 to 24 years. Audience analysis shows that the Miss France contest has seen a rise in viewership among 15-24-year-olds since 2015. One reason for the show's success is its social aspect. “Miss France is an annual event, watched with family or friends, from 7 to 77 years old,” said Jean-Pierre Foucault, the show’s host for 30 years, during a press conference in 2022. Indeed, the 38-year-old beauty contest has become a family or friends’ tradition for many. There's something comforting about watching a show with the same format every year, in a group.

The second major factor is the pride in regional representation. It's clear that Miss France stirs regional pride in everyone. Seeing a young woman from one’s small region on such a significant stage creates a sense of pride that naturally inspires support. Diane Leyre, a former Miss France, explained to Gala: “We see regions that are very strong, like Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Alsace, the islands with Tahiti or Martinique... These are places that love their regional identity and enjoy showcasing it. They support their Miss no matter what. It’s very beautiful to see.”

The phenomenon of “hate-watching”, meaning watching a show to criticize it, especially on social media, also contributes to the high viewership. Indeed, the beauty show can be considered a guilty pleasure for some. Sophie Barel, a researcher at the University of Rennes-2, explained to Ouest-France: “People do like the show, at least those who watch it. It’s like Eurovision. It’s a show everyone knows, with a kitsch, nostalgic charm that’s comforting. Plus, following the contest on X (formerly Twitter) is fun because of the hilarious reactions from internet users.” Even on social media, the @MissFranceOff account, which offers behind-the-scenes glimpses on Instagram, boasts 699,000 followers. This impressive number confirms the show's popularity, especially among young people. Despite its outdated rules, Miss France remains an unmissable tradition for many viewers who secretly enjoy gathering in front of the 3-hour live show.