Sophie Thalmann is a French former beauty queen, model and television presenter. She was titled Miss Lorraine in 1997 and Miss France in 1998. She is the 68th Miss France.
Early life and education
Sophie Thalmann was born in Bar-le-Duc in the department of Meuse. She grew up in a modest family, her father is an owner of a driving school and her mother is a seamstress. She studied in Nancy and passed a DEUG in cultural mediation and communication. She then studied at the European Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual.
Miss France
Candidate and election
In 1996, at age 20, Sophie Thalmann won the title of Miss Meuse. That same year, she nearly won the title of Miss Lorraine and received the title of first runner-up. In 1997, she finally won the title of Miss Lorraine in Bar-le-Duc, which qualified her for the Miss France election on 13 December 1997. While she began studying audiovisual in Nancy, she was elected Miss France at age 21 in Deauville in front of 15 million viewers. Her runners-up are :
After being elected and for about a year, Sophie Thalmann traveled in France with Geneviève de Fontenay and appeared as a guest in a number of television programs. On 12 May 1998, Sophie Thalmann represents France at the Miss Universe contest, which took place in Honolulu. During the election, she was finally not selected. For the Miss World contest that took place on 26 November 1998 in Mahé, Seychelles, she was replaced by her first runner-up Véronique Caloc, who will be ranked at the end of the election first runner-up of Linor Abargil. In 1998, she participated at the game showUne famille en or on TF1. In June of that year, while still having her Miss France title, she participated at the game show Fort Boyard broadcast on France 2. She is the leader of the team with ice skaterMarie-Pierre Leray. On 12 July 1998, she assisted at the FIFA World Cup Final that opposed France and Brazil at the Stade de France.
Television career
Sophie Thalmann began her career on television in 1999 with her first season on Téléfoot on TF1. She co-hosted for three seasonsthe program alongside Thierry Roland. She then co-hosted on the same channel other programs such as Y'a pas photo, Les Petits Princes, Combien ça coûte ? with Jean-Pierre Pernaut and Le bêtisier du sport. In 2004, she co-hosted with Pierre Sled the program Vous pouvez répéter la question ? on France 3. She then presented the program Le matin de Diane on 10 June 2007 on channel Equidia. From 2006 to 2009, she presents Sophie club and once a month during the season from 2004–05, she presented the program J'ai aimé un cheval. In November 2009, she started presenting on the same channel the program Ch'val dire à Sophie. She also hosted radio programs like Passionnément Sophiein 2001 on France Bleu Sud Lorraine and Les tontons footeux in 2003 on RTL.
Personal life
Sophie Thalmann married Belgian jockey Christophe Soumillon. The couple have three children, daughter Charlie son Mika and son Robin.
Titles
Miss France 1998
Miss Lorraine 1997
1st runner-up at Miss Lorraine 1996
Miss Meuse 1996
Books
2001 : Ça fait quoi d'être Miss France ?
2003 : Cheval mon ami
2006 : Passions chevaux
2008 : Au galop
2009 : Mon journal d'équitation
2013 : Un nouveau pensionnaire, Book 1 of series: Mes amis les chevaux