One of the funny things that happen to you when you live in a long time in a foreign country is that you get interested in obscure local topics like.... Geneviève de Fontenay, the Lady in the Hat [la Dame au Chapeau], whose real name is the more prosaic Mulmann.
For many years she has been the face of the Miss France contest. Her husband [or rather her concubin] ran it, and after he died, she and her son Xavier took it over. Her distinctive look-- she always wears black-and-white and the same hat in either white-and-black or black-and-white-- and socialist views have made her a distinctive figure on the French scene.
In 2002 she sold the television rights to the Miss France contest to a company called Endemol, and continued to be its host. But there was a scandal around Miss Réunion in 2008, who had, against the rules, previously posed for nude photos, which of course promptly made their appearance after she was elected Miss France. All of the islanders of Réunion united around their Miss-- even the Bishop of Réunion (who had complained that one of the photos showed her in a bikini on a crucifix in a swimming pool). Geneviève de Fontenay was forced to allow Miss Réunion to keep the title of Miss France, but saying that she didn't want to be seen with "a girl like that," she chose the runner-up to accompany her around France and to compete in the Miss World and Miss Universe contests.
Earlier this year, the Lady in the Hat informed Endemol that she was leaving because of the scandals. And on Sunday, 5 December, the same night as the Miss France contest on the television station TF1, she ran her own competing contest, which is called Miss Nationale. The French, with bated breath, got to see not one but two Miss. Miss Brittany won the Miss France contest; Miss Provence won the Miss Nationale contest.
"I find the TF1 Miss France très ordinaire," remarked Geneviève afterwards. Poor Miss Brittany! An online vote between the two Miss went massively against her.
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