Miss France 2024 has had a string of television shows, from her coronation in Châteauroux to her participation in , then the election of in Thailand. But while Eve Gilles performs tango, rumba and quickstep, her private life comes head-on into local politics in Pas-de-Calais: her partner, Simon Favier, has to leave his office as sports assistant at the Hersin-Coupigny town hall.
Behind the glamorous image of the “mystery dancers” bonus, where Simon Favier revealed his face to the general public by joining Eve Gilles on the floor, the chosen one experiences a much harsher sequence behind the scenes. Between dispute with a municipal councilor, “discomfort” with the mayor and exclusion from the list for the next municipal elections, the deputy finally decided to pack his boxes.
Eve Gilles and Simon Favier, from a Miss jury to a revelation on the DALS floor
Before this political crisis, the story between Eve Gilles and Simon Favier began far from municipal council meetings. The two met backstage at a local Miss election, where the future companion of Miss France sat on the jury. , he explained about this first contact. A detail that the beauty queen likes to tell with a touch of mischief: , she specified, believing that it was .
Eve Gilles herself gave the context of this surprising decision: , she says. Elected without her vote, she ends up meeting Simon Favier again and the relationship slowly builds: At first very discreet, they finally formalize their relationship on TF1, during the season of , when Simon appears as a “mystery dancer”. , she told the magazine. She further adds:
In Hersin-Coupigny, a “discomfort” with the mayor who turns everything upside down
If Simon Favier’s face was unknown to the general public until 2010, it was not in Nord-Pas-de-Calais. The elected official worked for a long time for the municipality of Hersin-Coupigny as a sports assistant, a position he held for six years. But, even though the relationship with Miss France 2024 was not yet public, tensions began to rise in the municipal council. , he explained to . According to him, this first incident marked the beginning of real discomfort with the mayor Jean-Marie Caramiaux and certain elected representatives of the majority.
Last month, Simon Favier flew to Bangkok to accompany his partner, who represents France in the election. And there, on his return from Thailand, he discovered that his own group had removed him from the list for the next municipal elections. An exclusion experienced as a point of no return, which pushed him to resign from his position as 7th deputy mayor in charge of sports. , he regrets. Officially, the deputy has slammed the door, even if his name still appears on the internet of the town’s elected officials.
Resignation, opposition mandate and unfailing support of Eve Gilles
If Simon Favier left his position as deputy, he did not break with the public life of Hersin-Coupigny. The elected official remains an opposition municipal councilor and recalls his attachment to this small town in Pas-de-Calais where the couple likes to meet away from the cameras. , he slips. A line of conduct confirmed by the entourage of Miss France 2024: the young woman has always stayed away from her political activity, even at the height of the controversies.
For the future, nothing has been decided. Between the “discomfort” with the mayor, the exclusion from the municipal list and the resignation from his deputy position, Simon Favier admits not knowing if he will run again in 2026 or even what form his political life will take in the coming years. For the moment, he prefers to take a step back, far from tense meetings and decision-making: Behind the rhinestones and sequins of Miss France, the couple he forms with Eve Gilles finds themselves managing, in parallel, the very concrete consequences of a municipal storm.
Who is Simon Favier, Eve Gilles’ companion?
Simon Favier is the companion of Eve Gilles, elected Miss France 2024. Based in Hersin-Coupigny, in Pas-de-Calais, he held the position of 7th deputy mayor responsible for sport for a long time before resigning. He nevertheless remains an opposition municipal councilor in this town where, according to him, the couple feels “peaceful”.
Why did Simon Favier resign from his position as deputy mayor?
His resignation follows a dispute with a municipal councilor “who behaved badly” and a growing “unease” with Mayor Jean-Marie Caramiaux. While he accompanied Eve Gilles to Thailand for the Miss Universe election, Simon Favier discovered that he had been excluded from the list for the next municipal elections, which pushed him to leave his deputy position.
Has Simon Favier completely left politics in Hersin-Coupigny?
No. Even if he has given up his duties as sports deputy, Simon Favier remains an opposition municipal councilor. He therefore continues to sit on the council, while admitting to being very disappointed by the turn of events and uncertain about a possible candidacy for the 2026 municipal elections.
How does Eve Gilles support Simon Favier during this period?
Eve Gilles supports her companion while remaining withdrawn from local political life. Simon Favier explains that she stays away from public demonstrations where he intervenes as an elected official, even if both claim to love Hersin-Coupigny and to have “no problem with the residents”.
How did the couple Eve Gilles – Simon Favier meet and make it official?
The couple met during a local Miss pageant, where Simon Favier sat on the jury. Eve Gilles says he didn’t vote for her at the time, to “protect” her from malicious comments. Their relationship was built little by little, before being made official on the floor of , during a bonus where Simon Favier appeared as a “mystery dancer”.
