Miss France announces its oldest ever winner – so can you guess how old she is?

Miss France has crowned its oldest ever champion after more than 100 years of strict age limits.

Angélique Angarni-Filopon explained her victory – at the age of 34 – as proof that it is ‘never too late’ to change your life or career.

The flight attendant, who represented the French Caribbean island of Martinique in the competition, said she hoped her win would inspire others to follow their dreams.

She said she represented “Martinique, her diaspora and all the women who were ever told it was too late.”

The pageant, which has been running since 1920, previously prevented women over the age of 24 from entering, with a rule change in 2022 also opening it up to mothers and married women as organizers said they wanted to ‘move with the times’.

Contestants must still be at least six feet tall and promise not to gain weight, change their hairstyle or have tattoos or piercings during their 12-month reign.

A 52-year-old woman also took part in the competition this year, but did not progress beyond the regional stages, French media report.

After collecting the tiara, Ms Angarni-Filopon said: ‘People always talk about my age. I think I’m well preserved. I have no wrinkles.’

The flight attendant, who represented the French Caribbean island of Martinique in the competition, said she hoped her win would inspire others to follow their dreams.

In 2011, the beauty queen failed to qualify for Miss France at the age of 21 and finished second in the Miss Martinique competition.

She said at the weekend: ‘Thirties may be the best age. In my twenties, I spent a lot of time discovering who I was. I wanted to be like everyone else.’

The pageant champion beamed in a pink and white feather dress as she was presented with the title, proudly saying in her winner’s speech: “My short hair and my age don’t define me at all.”

She told Le Parisien that she did not expect to win. ‘At each of the regional elections I said to myself, “Oh, yes, those (other competitors) are very beautiful,” and I watched the victory slip away.

‘I told myself this experience would be great. But in my head I was still a long way from telling myself I was going to win.”

She was among 30 participants from across French regions and territories who made it to the finals, competing against doctors, dentists and students.

Her prize reportedly includes up to €60,000 (£50,000) for the coming year, as well as the use of a Parisian flat near the Arc de Triomphe, and several gifts from sponsors.

It comes after a bizarre row broke out over the 2023 winner’s hairstyle.

Eve Gilles faced backlash and even misogynistic abuse for being the first Miss France winner with a pixie cut.

She was one of 30 participants from French regions and territories who made it to the final

“We are used to seeing beautiful ladies with long hair, but I opted for an androgynous look with short hair,” Ms. Gilles said at the time.

Hailing her win as a win for “diversity,” she added: “No one should dictate who you are,” she said after her win on Saturday night, adding that every “woman is different, we are all unique.”

It is among a series of recent events that have brought into sharp focus the place of parades in modern society.

Last week, the organizers of Miss Netherlands announced that the pageant was being canceled after 35 years.

Miss France 2024, Miss Nord-Pas-de-Calais Eve Gilles, is seen on stage after winning the title

“Times have changed and we are changing with the times,” parade organizers said in a statement.

Instead of running the competition, director Monica van Ee has set up a platform with the title ‘out of date’.

This platform aims to share stories of successful women, but also of women who struggle with social media and unrealistic beauty standards, among other things.

‘No more crowns, but stories that inspire. No dresses, but dreams that come to life,” said the organizers.