| Drag Race France | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
The first season of Drag Race France was officially announced by World of Wonder via their Instagram on November 17, 2021.[1] Casting opened the same day, with a deadline of December 15, 2021.[2] The show aired on France.tv Slash in France.[3]
On February 3, 2022, it was announced that the debut season of Drag Race France would feature 8 episodes of 60 minutes each.[4]
On March 4, 2022, the judges were announced. Drag Race alum Nicky Doll was announced as the host with Daphné Bürki and Kiddy Smile as judges.[5]
The cast was revealed on June 2, 2022, and a premiere date of June 25, 2022 was announced.[6] The promo theme firstly was "Marie-Antoinette Pastel" but was then changed & shortened to "Pastel".[7]
At the finale, Paloma was crowned France's Next Drag Superstar, winning a crown and scepter from Carré Y valued at €40,000, a trip to Mauritius, a one-year supply of MAC Cosmetics and a photoshoot for the French issue of ELLE. La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse placed as runners-up, while Elips received the title of Miss Congeniality.
About The Show
France is looking for her Drag Queen Superstar!
Each week, our queens are subjected to rigorous and funny mini and maxi challenges... and exceptional fashion shows that highlight their art. To keep their place in the adventure, the two queens at the bottom of the rankings will have to perform a legendary lip-sync to save their lives!
Nicky Doll, la plus célèbre et internationale des drag queens françaises, enfile les talons de RuPaul et s’installe aux commandes de Drag Race France, pour une première saison événement ! À ses côtés, un duo d’exception pour trouver LA meilleure drag queen française : Kiddy Smile et Daphné Bürki.
Contestants
(Biographical information stated from during time of contest)
| Rank | Contestant | Photo | Age[8] | Location | Ep. 1 | Ep. 2 | Ep. 3 | Ep. 4 | Ep. 5 | Ep. 6 | Ep. 7 | Ep. 8 | Reunion |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Talent Show |
Acting | Ball | Snatch Game |
Girl Groups |
Advert | Make Over |
Finale | ||||||
| 1st (Winner) |
Paloma | 
|
30 | Clermont-Ferrand | SAFE | WIN | HIGH | HIGH | BTM2 | WIN Mini Chall. Winner |
TOP 3 (WIN ROUND 2) |
WINNER | GUEST |
| 2nd/3rd (Runners-Up) |
La Grande Dame | 
|
23 | Nice | SAFE | HIGH Mini Chall. Winner |
HIGH | WIN | LOW Team Captain |
SAFE | TOP 3 (WIN ROUND 3) |
RUNNER UP |
|
| Soa de Muse | 
|
30 | Saint-Denis | WIN | BTM2 | BTM2 | HIGH | WIN Team Captain |
HIGH | TOP 3 (WIN ROUND 1) |
RUNNER UP |
GUEST | |
| 4th | Lolita Banana | 
|
36 | Paris | SAFE Mini Chall. Winner |
HIGH | SAFE | LOW | HIGH | BTM2 | ELIM | GUEST | GUEST |
| 5th | La Big Bertha | 
|
36 | Paris | HIGH | LOW | LOW | BTM2 Mini Chall. Winner |
HIGH | ELIM | GUEST | GUEST | |
| 6th (Miss Sympathie) |
Elips | 
|
26 | Bordeaux | HIGH | SAFE | LOW Mini Chall. Winner |
SAFE | ELIM | MISS CON |
GUEST | ||
| 7th | Kam Hugh | 
|
23 | Paris | LOW | SAFE | WIN | ELIM | GUEST | GUEST | |||
| 8th | La Briochée | 
|
31 | Palaiseau | SAFE | SAFE | ELIM Mini Chall. Winner |
GUEST | GUEST | ||||
| 9th | Lova Ladiva | 
|
32 | Toulouse | BTM2 | ELIM | GUEST | GUEST | |||||
| 10th | La Kahena | 
|
29 | Paris | ELIM | GUEST | GUEST | ||||||
- █ The contestant won Drag Race France.
- █ The contestant was a runner-up.
- █ The contestant won the first lip sync round and moved on to the Top 3.
- █ The contestant won the second lip sync round and moved on to the Top 3.
- █ The contestant won the third lip sync round and moved on to the Top 3.
- █ The contestant lost the third lip sync round and was eliminated.
- █ The contestant won the maxi challenge.
- █ The contestant was one of the best but did not win the maxi challenge.
- █ The contestant was one of the worst but did not place in the bottom.
- █ The contestant placed in the bottom and won the Lip Sync for your life.
- █ The contestant placed in the bottom, lost the Lip Sync for your life, and was eliminated.
- █ The contestant appeared as a guest, but was out of the running.
- █ The contestant was voted Miss Congeniality by the contestants.
Episodes
| Series # | Episode # | Episode Title | Airdate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | June 25, 2022 | |
| 2 | 2 | June 30, 2022 | |
| 3 | 3 | French Ball | July 7, 2022 |
| 4 | 4 | July 14, 2022 | |
| 5 | 5 | Popstars | July 21, 2022 |
| 6 | 6 | Un Parfum de Drag | July 28, 2022 |
| 7 | 7 | Sororité | August 4, 2022 |
| 8 | 8 | August 11, 2022 | |
| Anniversary Reunion | The Phenomenon of Drag Race France: 1 Year with the Queens Le phénomène Drag Race France, 1 an avec les queens |
June 24, 2023 | |
Episode 1: "Bonjour, Bonjour, Bonjour"
Airdate: June 25, 2022
Synopsis:
It’s the first day in the Werkroom! In the premiere episode, the ten queens discover the world of Drag Race France and show off their greatest talents in the maxi challenge.
C’est le premier jour dans l’Atelier ! Dans ce 1er épisode, les 10 Reines vont découvrir le monde de Drag Race France, et montrer leur plus grand talent dans le maxi challenge. Que la meilleure drag queen gagne !
Episode 1 Judges
- Guest Judges: Iris Mittenaere and Jean Paul Gaultier
- Mini Challenge: Cabaret Photoshoot
- Mini Challenge Winner: Lolita Banana
- Maxi Challenge: Talent Show
- Runway Theme: Liberté, égalité, Jean Paul Gaultier
- Maxi Challenge Winner: Soa de Muse
- Maxi Challenge Prize: A weekend in London
- Bottom Two: La Kahena and Lova Ladiva
- Lip Sync Song: "Prière païenne" by Céline Dion
- Eliminated: La Kahena
- Farewell Message: "Bisous❤️ on s'appelle on se fait une raclette ! Bertha + Soa❤️ it's yours."
Entrance Order
| 1 | Kam Hugh |
| 2 | La Big Bertha |
| 3 | Elips |
| 4 | Lolita Banana |
| 5 | Soa de Muse |
| 6 | La Grande Dame |
| 7 | Lova Ladiva |
| 8 | La Kahena |
| 9 | La Briochée |
| 10 | Paloma |
Talent Show Performances
| Contestant | Performance | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Lolita Banana | Lip Sync Performance | 
|
| Kam Hugh | Live Singing | 
|
| La Briochée | Live Singing | 
|
| Paloma | Stand-Up | 
|
| La Grande Dame | Original Song / Saxophone | 
|
| Elips | Lip Sync Performance | 
|
| Soa de Muse | Live Singing | 
|
| Lova Ladiva | Stand-Up | 
|
| La Kahena | Comedy Performance | 
|
| La Big Bertha | Burlesque | 
|
Episode 2: "Queen Pour Cent"
Airdate: June 30, 2022
Synopsis:
Today the queens will have to show themselves in a different light and play comedy in a parody of “Call My Agent.”
Aujourd'hui, les candidates vont devoir se montrer sous un autre jour et jouer la comédie dans une parodie de « Dix pour cent »
Episode 2 Judges
- Special Guests: Jésus La Vidange, Juda La Vidange, and Chico
- Guest Judge: Marianne James
- Mini Challenge: Get into quick drag and perform in a rock 'n' roll show
- Mini Challenge Winner: La Grande Dame
- Mini Challenge Prize: Assigning roles for Maxi Challenge
- Maxi Challenge: Act in a parody comedy of "Call My Agent!"
- Runway Theme: Dites-le avec des fleurs
- Maxi Challenge Winner: Paloma
- Maxi Challenge Prize: A trip to four-star hotel and spa Thalazur Cabourg
- Bottom Two: Lova Ladiva and Soa de Muse
- Lip Sync Song: "Toutes les femmes de ta vie" by L5
- Eliminated: Lova Ladiva
- Farewell Message: "I love you déchirez toutes. A trés vite, [sic] Lova Ladiva ho thank you ❤️Lova!!!"
Queen Pour Cent
| Contestant | Role |
|---|---|
| Elips | Marcelle |
| Kam Hugh | Isabelle Adjani |
| La Big Bertha | Miranda |
| La Grande Dame | Mona |
| La Briochée | Marion Cotillard Edith Piaf |
| Lolita Banana | Yolanda |
| Lova Ladiva | Kimberley |
| Paloma | Viviane |
| Soa de Muse | Anita |
Episode 3: "French Ball"
Airdate: July 7, 2022
Synopsis:
France, the country of fashion and chic! In this episode, our queens will have to accept a "haute couture" challenge and try to win their place for the rest of the season.
La France, pays de la mode et du chic ! Dans cet épisode, nos Reines devront relever un défi "haute couture" et tenter de gagner leur place pour le reste de la saison.
Episode 3 Judges
- Guest Judges: Chantal Thomass and Véronique Philipponnat
- Mini Challenge: In groups of two, make a tutorial on how to make a baguette
- Mini Challenge Winners: Elips and La Briochée
- Maxi Challenge: French Ball
- Runway Themes: Ma France à moi, French Clichés, and Festival de Cannes
- Maxi Challenge Winner: Kam Hugh
- Maxi Challenge Prize: €2.000 voucher to be used in a Parisian department store, courtesy of Tinder.
- Bottom Two: La Briochée and Soa de Muse
- Lip Sync Song: "Pookie" by Aya Nakamura
- Eliminated: La Briochée
- Farewell Message: "Merci infiniment de m'avoir accueillie avec tant d'amour. Soyez généreuses, fabuleuses et moelleuses, comme moi. Love, La Briochée."
Episode 4: "Snatch Game - France Season 1"
Airdate: July 14, 2022
Synopsis:
It's time for our queens to show what they're capable of in the iconic Snatch Game challenge!
Il est temps pour nos reines de montrer ce dont elles sont capables dans le défi iconique du Snatch Game !
Episode 4 Judges
Snatch Game Guests
- Special Guest: Bérengère Krief
- Guest Judge: Bilal Hassani
- Mini Challenge: Reading is Fundamental
- Mini Challenge Winner: La Big Bertha
- Maxi Challenge: Snatch Game
- Runway Theme: Lendemain de soirée
- Maxi Challenge Winner: La Grande Dame
- Maxi Challenge Prize: A gift valued at €2,000 courtesy of La Maison Patou
- Bottom Two: Kam Hugh and La Big Bertha
- Lip Sync Song: "DJ" by Diam's
- Eliminated: Kam Hugh
- Farewell Message: "1 2 3 Kam! Vous êtes toutes extra, hâte de vous apprendre à poser !!! Love you pour toujours"
Snatch Game Characters
| Contestant | Celebrity | Photo |
|---|---|---|
| Elips | Chantal Ladesou | 
|
| Kam Hugh | Mireille Mathieu | 
|
| La Big Bertha | Jean-Pierre Coffe | 
|
| La Grande Dame | Alexandra Rosenfeld | 
|
| Lolita Banana | Rossy de Palma | 
|
| Paloma | Fanny Ardant | 
|
| Soa de Muse | Monique Angeon (as Félindra from Fort Boyard) |
|
Episode 5: "Popstars"
Airdate: July 21, 2022
Synopsis:
6 queens, 2 musical groups! Who will win the title of best girl band?
6 Reines, 2 groupes musicaux ! Qui remportera le titre de meilleur groupe ?
Episode 5 Judges
- Special Guest: Anthonin Fabre
- Guest Judges: Shy'm and Yanis Marshall
- Mini Challenge: In groups of two, makeover one of each other blindfolded
- Mini Challenge Winners: La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse
- Mini Challenge Prize: Become team captains for Maxi Challenge
- Maxi Challenge: Write lyrics and perform to "Boom Boom" in Girl Groups
- Runway Theme: La nuit des 1000 Mylène
- Maxi Challenge Winner: Soa de Muse
- Maxi Challenge Prize: A trip to Berlin
- Bottom Two: Elips and Paloma
- Lip Sync Song: "Libertine" by Mylène Farmer
- Eliminated: Elips
- Farewell Message: "*🗼Paris Merci mes amours pour cette sublime aventure.❤️ Hâte de vous retrouver à Bordeaux, en France et dans le monde entier❤️ Elips💋"
Boom Boom Girl Groups
| Les sœurs Jacquettes Pop Mix |
The Nails Rock Mix | ||
|---|---|---|---|
|
La Big Bertha | 
|
Elips |
| La Grande Dame | Lolita Banana | ||
| Paloma | Soa de Muse | ||
Episode 6: "Un Parfum de Drag"
Airdate: July 28, 2022
Synopsis:
The queens still in the race have to compete in a very fragrant maxi challenge! Who will do the best advertising? Who will be eliminated following the lip sync challenge?
Les reines encore en course vont devoir s'affronter dans un maxi challenge très parfumé ! Qui fera la meilleure publicité ? Qui sera éliminé à l'issue du Lip sync ?
Episode 6 Judges
- Guest Judges: Alexandre Mattiussi and Yseult
- Mini Challenge: Everybody Loves Puppets
- Mini Challenge Winner: Paloma
- Mini Challenge Prize: Assign boxes for Maxi Challenge
- Maxi Challenge: Create an advert for a perfume
- Runway Theme: Haute Couture
- Maxi Challenge Winner: Paloma
- Maxi Challenge Prize: A year's supply of Jean-Paul Gaultier perfume and a feature in an upcoming Gaultier Pride digital campaign
- Bottom Two: La Big Bertha and Lolita Banana
- Lip Sync Song: "Corps" by Yseult
- Eliminated: La Big Bertha
- Farewell Message: "Mes poupoules... Je suis fière d'avoir de nouvelles sœurs comme vous. Déchirez tout, amour et cornichons❤️ "Soa kouroukou si tu ne gagnes pas" 4EVER BiG❤️"
Perfumes
| Contestant | Perfume | Who Should Go Home Tonight? |
|---|---|---|
| La Big Bertha | Cliché by Marais | Lolita Banana |
| La Grande Dame | Pschitt Pschitt | |
| Lolita Banana | Lolita Coquine | Herself/La Big Bertha |
| Paloma | Arnaque | Lolita Banana |
| Soa de Muse | Counia |
Episode 7: "Sororité"
Airdate: August 4, 2022
Synopsis:
This week, the queens transform one of their relatives into their drag sisters for the makeover challenge!
Cette semaine, les reines vont transformer un de leurs proches en Drag Queen pour le défi relooking !
Episode 7 Judges
- Guest Judges: Loïc Prigent and Raya Martigny
- Maxi Challenge: Makeover your loved ones into drag queens
- Runway Theme: Un air de famille
- Maxi Challenge Winner: None
- Lip Sync Prize*: An outfit courtesy of Ami Paris
- Lip Sync Pairs:
- Lolita Banana vs Soa de Muse
- La Grande Dame vs Paloma
- Lip Sync Songs:
- "Dieu m'a donné la foi" by Ophélie Winter
- "Le Banana Split" by Lio
- "La grenade" by Clara Luciani
- Eliminated: Lolita Banana
- Farewell Message: "Paloma, tu es une diva incroyable. Soa, t'es une star, une bombe. La Grande Dame, je suis ton fan numéro 1. 💗💗"
| Contestant | Proche | |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Drag Name | |
| La Grande Dame | Cécile | Ma Petite Dame |
| Lolita Banana | Antonio | Paquita Banana |
| Paloma | Kameliya | Columbina |
| Soa de Muse | Jackie | Kiki de Muse |
Lip Sync for the Finale Bracket
| "Dieu m'a donné la foi" / "Le Banana Split" | "La grenade" | ||||||||||||
| ✓ | Soa de Muse | WIN | |||||||||||
| ✗ | Lolita Banana | LOSS | |||||||||||
| ✓ | La Grande Dame | WIN | |||||||||||
| ✗ | Lolita Banana | LOSS | |||||||||||
| ✓ | Paloma | WIN | |||||||||||
| ✗ | La Grande Dame | LOSS | |||||||||||
Top Three of Season 1
| Contestant | Challenge Wins | Up for Elimination |
|---|---|---|
|
1 (Ep. 4) |
0 |
|
2 (Eps. 2, 6) |
1 (Ep. 5) |
|
2 (Eps. 1, 5) |
2 (Eps. 2, 3) |
Episode 8: "Grande Finale - France Season 1"
Airdate: August 11, 2022
Synopsis:
The remaining queens give everything to try to win the crown and the scepter! All the season's former queens return to watch the coronation.
C'est la grande finale ! Les reines encore en course vont tout donner dans cet épisode pour tenter de remporter la couronne et le sceptre ! Toutes les anciennes reines de la saison seront de retour pour assister au couronnement.
Episode 8 Judges
- Guest Judges: Olivier Rousteing and Nicolas Huchard
- Maxi Challenge: Learn choreography and perform to RuPaul's song "Catwalk"
- Runway Theme: Dragnifique
- Lip Sync Song: "Mourir sur scène" by Dalida
- Winner of Drag Race France Season 1: Paloma
- Runners-Up: La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse
- Miss Congeniality: Elips
Special Episode: "The Phenomenon of Drag Race France: 1 Year with the Queens"
Airdate: June 24, 2023
Synopsis:
One year after the success of Drag Race France season 1, it’s time for the queens to meet again! In her flamboyant apartment, Paloma hosts her sisters to go back to this incredible phenomenon. It’s with a bit of nostalgia and a lot of laughter that they share about their best moments in this iconic journey. Between shows across France and abroad, new collaborations, how are their new lives? This is also a special moment to talk about the incredible positive impact Drag Race France had on society and how the show got things moving in France!
Un an après le succès de la saison 1 de "Drag Race France", c'est l'heure des retrouvailles. Dans son appartement, Paloma reçoit ses sœurs pour revenir sur ce phénomène. Entre shows dans toute la France, à l'étranger et de nouvelles collaborations, à quoi ressemblent leurs nouvelles vies ? C'est aussi l'occasion de revenir sur l'impact de "Drag Race France" sur la société.
Promotional Banner
- Special Guests: Daphné Bürki, Kiddy Smile, Bilal Hassani, and Loic Prïgent
- Discussions: Drag Race phenomenon in France and its impact in the country, memories of the first episode and first day in the werkroom, Elips and the title of Miss Congeniality, the pigeon look of Kam Hugh and the looks of the queens throughout the season, Lolita Banana's HIV status and how it was perceived by the spectators, things that the queens want to say to Nicky Doll, "What did Drag Race allow you to accomplish for the representativeness of trans people", the lip sync of La Big Bertha and Lolita Banana. La Kahena being the first eliminated, Paloma winning Drag Race France Season 1, Drag Race France Live Tour, the life after Drag Race France, Paloma associates the queens with a pastry, a Drag Race fan talks about his coming out thanks to Drag Race France.
Pastry for the queens
Lolita was not present during this section of the reunion.
| Contestant | Pastry |
|---|---|
| Elips | Canelé |
| La Briochée | Brioche |
| Soa de Muse | Millefeuille |
| Lova Ladiva | Strawberry Tart |
| La Kahena | Gazelle Horn |
| Kam Hugh | Macaron |
| La Big Bertha | Paris-Brest |
Paloma
Elips
Trivia
- The first season of Drag Race France is...
- The first in the Drag Race franchise to have a lipsync song be region blocked, with the music being replaced with royalty-free instrumentals on WOW Presents Plus, Crave, and Stan.[9]
- It is also the first to have this occur twice, in episodes 4 and 5.
- The second in the Drag Race franchise to be hosted by a past RuPaul's Drag Race contestant, after Canada's Drag Race.
- The sixth in the Drag Race franchise to be non-English speaking, after The Switch Drag Race, Drag Race Thailand, Drag Race Holland, Drag Race España, and Drag Race Italia.
- The first in the Drag Race franchise to have a lipsync song be region blocked, with the music being replaced with royalty-free instrumentals on WOW Presents Plus, Crave, and Stan.[9]
- The promo featuring the entire cast had leaked about an hour prior to the official cast reveal.[10]
- This season has produced a total of one returning contestant:
- La Grande Dame, who also competed on RuPaul's Drag Race UK vs The World (Season 2), where she placed 3rd/4th.
Gallery
|
Check out the lookbook gallery to see the contestants' looks from each episode.
|
|
Check out the lookbook gallery to see the contestants' planned looks for each episode.
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Check out the video gallery to see challenge performances, runways, lip syncs, and more!
|
References
|
Drag Race France Season 1
| |
| Winner | Paloma |
|---|---|
| Runners-Up | 2nd & 3rd: La Grande Dame & Soa de Muse |
| Other Contestants | 4th: Lolita Banana • 5th: La Big Bertha • 6th: Elips (Miss Congeniality) • 7th: Kam Hugh • 8th: La Briochée • 9th: Lova Ladiva • 10th: La Kahena |
| Judges | Daphné Bürki • Kiddy Smile • Nicky Doll |
| Pit Crew | Clyde Devoh • Jérôme Prun • Lazaro Cuervo Costa • Pierre-Antoine Brunet • Simon Vendeme • Yassin Chekkouh |
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