IT TOOK HER SIX YEARS OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS
TO REGAIN HER TITLE AS MISS FRANCE

A very young, beautiful woman, Luce Auger, ex-Miss France 1961 for several hours, was the cause of concern yesterday for Mr. Poirot de Fontenay, president of the selection committee for Miss France. Before a correctional court of Versailles, she accused him of fraud and use of fraud.

After having been found guilty, Mr. Poirot de Fontenay was given a two-month suspended prison sentence and a fine for one thousand francs. Luce Auger felt vindicated and left the court smiling.

In December 1960, Luce Auger was crowned Miss France 1961. But several days later, a small scandal. Luce could not have been elected as Miss France because she had already surpassed the maximum age of 25 years and that she was an unmarried mother - which is strictly forbidden. She was dethroned and replaced by her first runner-up, Michèle Wargnier.

Luce Auger did not hide her secret to the president who nevertheless allowed her to participate in the pageant. Handwriting experts agreed that the words "célibataire, sans enfant" ("single, without children") had been added on her contract after she had already signed it.

The court thus sided with her story.

- "Being Miss France is not important to me," declared Luce Auger. "What I wanted was to prove my good faith and the president's cunning trick. And I did it."

RETURN TO | A HISTORY OF DECEPTION