Miss Universe 2026 France representative Garance Authié, Digi Mart USA News (Paris, France): France has its representative for Miss Universe 2026. Garance Authié was named on Sunday, October 18, during the Miss Universe France final held at the Pullman hotel in Paris.
The decision breaks with tradition, since the French candidate did not come through the Miss France contest this time. Since the company led by Frédéric Gilbert left Miss Universe in the spring, a new committee has taken over the French selection.
Authié, 22, from Paris, has worked as a model for nearly ten years and stands 1.79 meters tall. She earned her baccalauréat with honors at 17 and went on to study in Spain, the United States and England, where she obtained a master’s degree in management.
She speaks English and Spanish fluently and has some knowledge of Italian.
She also practices classical dance, horseback riding, diving, sailing and piano, and is interested in entrepreneurship, finance, fashion and art. She was the only one of the three finalists selected in early October who had never held a pageant sash; her rivals, Lilou Emeline-Artuso and Mareva Michel Del Toro, had previously competed in regional contests.
On Monday, November 3, Authié appeared on the French television program Tout beau, tout neuf on W9, hosted by Cyril Hanouna. She said the opportunity was unexpected.
“It’s true that it was unexpected, it wasn’t planned. I’m not from the world of pageants, I’m a business and finance student (…) I just finished my master’s,” she said.
Describing how she came to the opportunity, she pointed to the new committee, Miss Univers France. “This year there is a new committee called Miss Univers France.
I saw this opportunity; I was not at all familiar with this beauty contest and hadn’t planned for it. (…) At 17 I left for Madrid, then London, so I have always been around people from different cultures, so for me representing France internationally was obvious,” she said.
Hanouna praised her delivery, saying, “Frankly, she speaks well, she articulates.” The international competition will take place in Puerto Rico on November 24.
