The first season of Drag Race France premiered on June 25, 2022.[1] The cast was announced on June 2, 2022.[2] The winner of the first season of Drag Race France was Paloma, with La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse as runners-up.[3]
The season consisted of eight one-hour episodes. The season was broadcast on the digital channel France.tv Slash every Thursday, but also aired on France 2 every Saturday night. It was available simultaneously on Crave in Canada, and on WOW Presents Plus internationally.
Ten queens enter the workroom. For the first mini-challenge, the queens do a cabaret photoshoot. Lolita Banana wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens perform a talent show in front of the judges.
Elips - Lip-sync performance
Kam Hugh - Live singing
La Big Bertha - Burlesque
La Briochée - Live singing
La Grande Dame - Lip-sync performance/Saxophone
La Kahena - Comedy performance
Lolita Banana - Lip-sync performance
Lova Ladiva - Stand-up
Paloma - Stand-up
Soa de Muse - Live singing
On the runway, category is Liberté, égalité, Jean-Paul Gaultier (Liberty, Equality, Jean-Paul Gaultier). Elips, La Big Bertha and Soa de Muse receive positive critiques, with Soa de Muse winning the challenge. Kam Hugh, La Kahena and Lova Ladiva receive negative critiques, with Kam Hugh being safe. La Kahena and Lova Ladiva lip-sync to "Prière païenne" by Céline Dion. Lova Ladiva wins the lip-sync and La Kahena is the first queen to sashay away.
Farewell Message: "Bisous❤️ on s'appelle on se fait une raclette ! Bertha + Soa❤️ it's yours." ("Kisses❤️ we'll call each other and let's make a raclette ! Bertha + Soa❤️ it's yours.")
2
2
"Queen Pour Cent"
30 June 2022 (2022-06-30)
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens get into twenty minute rock 'n' roll quick drag and front a band of drag kings. La Grande Dame wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens act in Dix Pour Cent parody "Queen Pour Cent".
Elips plays Marcelle
Kam Hugh plays Isabelle Adjani
La Big Bertha plays Miranda
La Grande Dame plays Mona
La Briochée plays Marion Cotillard and Edith Piaf
Lolita Banana plays Yolanda
Lova Ladiva plays Kimberley
Paloma plays Viviane
Soa de Muse plays Anita
On the runway, category is Dites-le avec des fleurs (Say It With Flowers). La Grande Dame, Lolita Banana and Paloma receive positive critiques, with Paloma winning the challenge. La Big Bertha, Lova Ladiva and Soa de Muse receive negative critiques, with La Big Bertha being safe. Lova Ladiva and Soa de Muse lip-sync to "Toutes les femmes de ta vie" by L5. Soa de Muse wins the lip-sync and Lova Ladiva sashays away.
Farewell Message: "I love you déchirer toutes. A très vite, Lova Ladiva ho thank you ❤️Lova!!!" ("I love you tear it all up. See you soon, Lova Ladiva oh thank you ❤️Lova!!!")
3
3
"The French Ball"
7 July 2022 (2022-07-07)
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens pair up and film a baguette baking tutorial. La Briochée and Elips win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens create three looks for The French Ball: Ma France à moi (My Own France), French Clichés, and Festival de Cannes.
On the runway, Kam Hugh, La Grande Dame and Paloma receive positive critiques, with Kam Hugh winning the challenge. Elips, La Big Bertha, La Briochée and Soa de Muse receive negative critiques, with Elips and La Big Bertha being safe. La Briochée and Soa de Muse lip-sync to "Pookie" by Aya Nakamura. Soa de Muse wins the lip-sync and La Briochée sashays away.
Guest Judges: Chantal Thomass and Véronique Philipponnat
Mini-Challenge: Film a baguette baking tutorial
Mini-Challenge Winners: La Briochée and Elips
Main Challenge: The French Ball
Runway Themes: Ma France à moi (My own France), French Clichés, and Festival de Cannes
Farewell Message: "Merci infiniment de m'avoir accueillie avec tant d'amour. Soyez généreuses, fabuleuses et moelleuses, comme moi. Love, La Briochée." ("Thank you so much for welcoming me with so much love. Be generous, fabulous, and fluffy, like me. Love, La Briochée")
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens read each other to filth. La Big Bertha wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens play the Snatch Game. Bilal Hassani and Bérengère Krief star as the celebrity contestants. The cast consisted of:
On the runway, category is Lendemain de soirée (The Morning After A Night Out). La Grande Dame, Paloma and Soa de Muse receive positive critiques, with La Grande Dame winning the challenge. Kam Hugh, La Big Bertha and Lolita Banana receive negative critiques, with Lolita Banana being safe. Kam Hugh and La Big Bertha lip-sync to "DJ" by Diam's. La Big Bertha wins the lip-sync and Kam Hugh sashays away.
Runway Theme: Lendemain de soirée (The Morning After A Night Out)
Challenge Winner: La Grande Dame
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 (not played in international broadcast due to copyright issues)
Eliminated: Kam Hugh
Farewell Message: "1 2 3 Kam! Vous êtes toutes extra, hâte de vous apprendre à poser !!! Love you pour toujours" ("1 2 3 Kam! You're all so great, can't wait to teach you all how to pose !!! Love you always")
5
5
"Popstars"
21 July 2022 (2022-07-21)
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens pair up and paint each others faces while blindfolded. La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse win the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens write, record, and perform verses to "Boom Boom".
Team Les sœurs Jacquettes (The Jacquette Sisters): La Big Bertha, La Grande Dame and Paloma
Team The Nails: Elips, Lolita Banana and Soa de Muse
On the runway, category is La nuit des 1000 Mylène (The Night of 1000 Mylènes). La Big Bertha, Lolita Banana and Soa de Muse receive positive critiques, with Soa de Muse winning the challenge. Elips, La Grande Dame and Paloma receive negative critiques, with La Grande Dame being safe. Elips and Paloma lip-sync to "Libertine" by Mylène Farmer. Paloma wins the lip-sync and Elips sashays away.
Lip-Sync Song: "Libertine" by Mylène Farmer (not played in international broadcast due to copyright issues)
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💋" ("🗼 Paris thank you for this sublime adventure, my loves. ❤️ Can't wait to see you all in Bordeaux, in France and around the world ❤️ Elips💋")
6
6
"Un Parfum de Drag"
28 July 2022 (2022-07-28)
For this week's mini-challenge, the queens have a bitchfest with puppets. Paloma wins the mini-challenge. For the main challenge, the queens write and produce perfume advertisements.
La Big Bertha - Cliché by Marais
La Grande Dame - Pschitt Pschitt
Lolita Banana - Lolita Coquine
Paloma - Arnaque
Soa de Muse - Counia
On the runway, category is Haute Couture. Paloma and Soa de Muse receive positive critiques, with Paloma winning the challenge. La Big Bertha and Lolita Banana receive negative critiques, and are announced as the bottom two. They lip-sync to "Corps [fr]" by Yseult. Lolita Banana wins the lip-sync and La Big Bertha sashays away.
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❤️" ("My chicks... I'm proud to have new sisters like you. Tear it up, love and pickles ❤️ "Soa kouroukou if you don't win" 4EVER Big❤️")
7
7
"Sororité"
4 August 2022 (2022-08-04)
For the final challenge of the season, the queens makeover their best friends.
On the runway, category is Un air de famille (A Family Resemblance). Each queen is given positive feedback. Unable to pick a winner this week, and to decide two bottom queens, Nicky Doll reveals that all four queens must compete in a lip-sync smackdown for a spot in the finale. Lolita Banana and Soa de Muse lip-sync to "Dieu m'a donné la foi" by Ophélie Winter. Soa de Muse wins the lip-sync and is the first queen to advance to the top three. La Grande Dame and Paloma lip-sync to "Le Banana Split by Lio. Paloma wins the lip-sync and is the second queen to advance to the top three. La Grande Dame and Lolita Banana, as the losers of the previous lip syncs, lip sync in the final round to "La grenade" by Clara Luciani. La Grande Dame wins the lip-sync and is the final queen to advance to the top three and Lolita Banana sashays away.
Guest Judges: Loïc Prigent and Raya Martigny
Main Challenge: Makeover your best friend
Runway Theme: Un air de famille (A Family Resemblance)
Lip-Sync Smackdown #1: Lolita Banana vs. Soa de Muse
Farewell Message: "Paloma: Tes une diva incroyable. Soa: Tes une star, une bombe. La Grande Dame: Je suis ton fan no. 1. Las amo!! ❤️Holi! ("Paloma: you are an incredible diva. Soa: you are a star, a bombshell. La Grande Dame: I am your #1 fan. I love you [girls]! ❤️Hi!")
8
8
"Grande Finale"
11 August 2022 (2022-08-11)
For the final challenge of the season, the queens perform a lip-syncing dance number to RuPaul's song "Catwalk".
On the runway, category is Dragnifique (Dragnificent). The eliminated queens all return to the runway, where it is announced that Elips is this season's Miss Congeniality. The three finalists are told that they will be lip-syncing to "Mourir sur scène" by Dalida. It is announced that Paloma is the winner, leaving La Grande Dame and Soa de Muse as the runners-up.
